Paul Whelan tells CNN he has “some concerns” that the arrest of a soldier in Russia could complicate his case

CNN
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Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia, expressed renewed optimism about U.S. efforts to secure his release, but acknowledged that he had “some concerns” that the recent arrest of a U.S. Soldiers in Russia could complicate matters.

Whelan, who has been detained in Russia for more than five years and is considered unlawfully detained by the U.S. State Department, said he was aware of the arrest “in broad terms” after being informed by his parents, but did not know the details .

U.S. Staff Sgt. Gordon Black traveled to Russia to visit his girlfriend without permission from the U.S. military, his mother said. He was arrested last week in the far eastern city of Vladivostok on theft charges. A court ordered him to remain in custody until July 2nd. The US was not granted consular access to him.

Whelan said he had “some concerns” that negotiations for his own release and that of imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich could be set back if Black was found to be wrongfully imprisoned.

The State Department has not yet made that decision in the Black case, and it is often a lengthy process.

“This latest arrest will complicate my situation if this person is declared unlawfully detained,” he told CNN, explaining that the arrests of Trevor Reed and Brittney Griner “complicated matters.” Reed and Griner were both deemed unlawfully detained by the State Department and were later released as part of a prisoner swap with Russia. U.S. officials said Russia refused to include Whelan in any of those swaps.

“Unfortunately, if this gentleman is wrongfully imprisoned, Evan and I will have to start negotiations all over again because then there will be three of us. This is one of the problems we have had in the past. They negotiated for me, and then it was Trevor and me, and then it was Brittney and me. And now it’s Evan and me. And every time they negotiate, it always starts all over again with another person involved. So yeah, it’s a little concerning,” he explained.

Still, Whelan was more positive about U.S. efforts to secure his release than in his previous conversations with CNN.

In the call from his remote prison camp in Mordovia on Wednesday, Whelan explained that I was “quite depressed” in December, around the anniversary of his imprisonment.

“It had been five years. Nothing seemed to happen. The suggestions made were not taken into account by the Russians. The Russians themselves didn’t seem to make any meaningful suggestions. And I was quite depressed that there hadn’t been enough exercise and that not enough had been done. Since then, I have made several phone calls and spoken to several senior people who have assured me that they are doing everything they can,” he said.

“I know there are ongoing negotiations and proposals have been made. It’s worrying that it’s taken this long, but I hope that we’re almost at the end, that the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t just another train coming my way, as I like to say,” he said.

The Biden administration has made several “significant” proposals for Whelan to the Russians. One was presented and rejected in late November to try to bring home both Whelan and Gershkovich, who is also considered wrongly imprisoned. U.S. officials have consistently said that the return of Whelan and Gershkovich is a top priority.

“Paul has demonstrated tremendous resilience in the face of difficult circumstances,” a State Department spokesman said Wednesday. “Russia should release him immediately.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Whelan in mid-February – at least the third time the top US diplomat spoke on the phone with the ex-Marine. The two also spoke in August 2023 and December 2022.

“The State Department has assured me that everyone is working on this as best they can and that they are doing everything they can to solve the problem. However, I have made many requests to speak to the President and I would like to speak to the people in senior leadership to make sure they realize what the situation is and that I am being held hostage. I didn’t do anything. And I really need your help to solve the problem,” he explained.