Demanding that Russian authorities release 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter Even Gershkovich, the White House found out the hard way what happens when U.S.-Russian relations deteriorate to Cold War lows. Since the Feb. 24, 2022 Ukraine War, 80-year-old President Joe Biden decided to toss decades of U.S.-Russian relations under the bus, joining Ukraine’s war against the Russian Federation. Instead of giving diplomacy a chance, Biden decided to fund a proxy war against the Kremlin, giving Ukraine unlimited cash-and-weapons to fight Moscow. Kremlin officials realized early on that the Ukraine War was not a war between Ukraine and Russia, it was an existential war with the U.S and NATO. U.S.-Russian relations could not be more deteriorated with normal diplomatic channels no longer available to White House officials especially when it comes to detainees.
Gershkovich is now caught in the same vice as 32-year-old WNBA star Brittney Griner who spent 10 months in Russian jail for possessing cannabis-containing vape cartridges in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. While Griner was released in a prisoner swap for “Merchant of Death” arms dealer Viktor Bout Dec. 8, 2022, the prospects for Gershkovich are far worse. With Biden pressing the Ukraine War, supplying cash-and-lethal-arms to Ukraine, there’s little chance that the White House pleadings will go anywhere right now. Gershkovich was arraigned today in a Russia cout and charged with spying. Wall Street Journal officials deny that Gershkovich was a spy, saying he was just doing his usual reporter’s business. When Griner was in Russian custody, Biden and 60-year-old Secretary of State Antony Blinken said she was “unlawfully detained.”
Kremlin Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said many times to the White House that Griner admitted in court she possessed cannabis-infused vape cartridges. Yet the White House still antagonized Russian authorities saying Griner was “unlawfully detained.” Zakharova pointed out that Russia does not follow San Francisco’s drug laws, pointing out that drug offenses are taken seriously in Russia. When it comes to spying, especially today, there’s no mercy for any U.S. citizen, journalist or otherwise, because of the current state of war. If Biden wants to spring Gershkovich or other detained Americans, like 56-year-old former Marine and security executive Paul Whelan, he needs to end the Ukraine War and mend fences with the Kremlin. Before that happens, Gershkovich doesn’t have a prayers of getting out. White House and Wall Street Journal executives can jump up and down all they want but it won’t work.
State Department officials already announced Russia is not longer safe for Americans. Why, because Biden decided to go to war against the Kremlin, excusing his madness that Putin would takeover all of Europe. With that kind of claptrap, it’s no wonder that Biden gets all the GOP war hawks left in Congress, for the days of good old Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) imperialism. When you look at the Russia hysteria on Capitol Hill, Biden’s got as much backing as he needs to keeping fighting the Kremlin. But the consequences for world peace but, more importantly, for the U.S. conducting a coherent foreign policy, are gone. Biden has no linkage in U.S. foreign policy, leaving the U.S. only with its rubber stamp European allies, reluctantly going along with Uncle Sam. Biden has sent U.S.-Russian and U.S.-Chinese relations back generations with the most belligerent, intolerant foreign policy since WW II.
Picked up in Yekkaterinberg in the Ural mountains some 900 miles from Moscow March 20 by the FSB, the 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter now finds himself charged with spying by a Moscow court. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitri Peskov said that Gershkowitch was caught “red handed,” collecting information on Russian military installations. White House officials, led by Biden and 60-year-old Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Gershkovich “unlawfully detained,” demanding he be released immediately. When the State Department issued a travel warning to Russia Feb. 13, what was the Wall Street Journal doing sending their reporter into the Russian hinterlands? U.S. officials and the Wall Street journal got caught flatfooted, not heeding their own warnings for U.S. citizens. Given Biden’s proxy war against the Kremlin, how’s that supposed to go?
U.S. officials and the Wall Street Journal were negligent sending a reporter into harm’s way, when the State Department urged U.S. citizens to not travel to Russia or to leave the country immediately in February. “Evan is not a spy: Evan has never been a spy,” said White House Press Secretary Karin Jean-Pierre today. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for Gershkovich’s immediately release, showing the extent of U.S. impotence. Biiden’s proxy war against the Kremlin has all but killed diplomatic relations with the U.S., making incidents like Gershkovich more complicated. If the U.S. had normal ties with the Kremlin, the Gershkovich incident would not have happened. Gershkovich can thank Biden for prosecuting a dangerous proxy war against the Kremlin, making U.S. travel to Russia all the more treacherous.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
