Secretary of State Blinken says he spoke with Paul Whelan this week
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday spoke with Paul Whelan, a businessman and former Marine who the U.S. government says is wrongfully imprisoned in Russia.
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that he spoke this week with Paul Whelan, the former Marine and businessman who the U.S. government says is being wrongfully imprisoned in Russia.
Speaking at an event centered on arbitrary detention, Blinken said he spoke with Whelan by phone Monday.
"Yesterday, as it happens, I spoke on the phone with Paul Whelan," Blinken said.
"Our intensive efforts to bring Paul home continue every single day. And they will until he and Evan Gershkovich and every other American wrongfully detained is back with their loved ones," Blinken said in his remarks Tuesday, also referring to Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who the U.S. also says is wrongfully imprisoned in Russia.
Gershkovich, 32, was detained in March on espionage-related allegations that he and his employer deny.
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