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United States President Joe Biden on Friday (March 31) told Russia to release Wall Street Journal journalistEvan Gershkovich who was arrested by Moscow on espionage charges. “Let him go,” Biden said toreporters at the White House on Friday morning when asked about his message to Russia on the arrest of Gershkovich. Russia's Federal Security Service has accused Evan Gershkovich of trying to obtain classified information.

Gershkovich was detained in Yekaterinburg and will be in detention until May 29 pending trial. This is the first time an American journalist has been detained on accusations of spying since the Cold War.

On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal's board of opinion editors published a piece where they called for the expulsion of Russia's ambassador to the US and also all Russian journalists working here.

"The timing of the arrest looks like a calculated provocation to embarrass the US and intimidate the foreign press still working in Russia," the piece read.

Responding to the newspaper's demand for expelling Russian journalists, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskovsaid the newspaper could say that, but it should not happen. "There's just no reason for this," Peskov added, the news agency AFP reported. The Kremlin spokesperson also said Gershkovich was caught red-handed.

US President Biden, meanwhile, said that expelling Russian journalists was not the plan right now.

Don't travel to Russia: White House warns Americans

Following Evan Gershkovich's arrest, the White House warned Americans not to travel to Russia and also advised those now inside the country to leave for their safety.

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "The targeting of American citizens by the Russian government is unacceptable. We condemn the detention of Mr Gershkovich in the strongest terms."

American officials, meanwhile, said that they were in touch with the journalist's family and the State Department had contacted Russia.

(With inputs from Russia)

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