US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a rare phone call on Sunday to discuss the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been accused of spying in Russia. "The American side initiated the phone call," the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Telegram.
Blinken and Lavrov are said to have discussed "the importance of creating an environment that permits diplomatic missions to carry out their work," according to a State Department summary of the call.
Blinken expressed "grave concern" over Gershkovich detention and urged for his immediate release.
But Lavrov accused Washington and Western media of politicizing the case. "His further fate will be determined by the court," the Kremlin said.
Blinken also urged Moscow to release Paul Whelan, another detained American citizen who has also been held in Russia since late 2018 on espionage charges. He is currently serving a 16-year sentence.
WSJ denies espionage accusations
Russia's FSB, the country's top security agency and successor to the KGB, have accused Gershkovich of collecting information on an enterprise of the military-industrial complex.
The case marks the first time a US correspondent has been held in Russia on spying accusations since the Cold War.
Lavrov "drew Blinken's attention to the need to respect the decisions of the Russian authorities" about Gershkovich, whom Moscow claims, without evidence, "was caught red-handed."
The Wall Street Journal denounced the arrest, denied the allegations and demanded his release.
"Evan's case is a vicious affront to a free press, and should spur outrage in all free people and governments throughout the world," the newspaper said in a statement on Twitter.
"The timing of the arrest looks like a calculated provocation to embarrass the US and intimidate the foreign press still working in Russia," it added.
