UK Warns Russia Over American Citizen Accused of Espionage

On Friday, the UK warned Russia that individuals should not be used as leverage in diplomatic negotiations. Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine with a British passport, was arrested on December 28 by the Russian Federal Security Service on suspicion of espionage in Moscow. His family claims that Mr. Whelan is innocent and traveled to Moscow to attend the wedding of a former colleague. According to Reuters, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt stated, 'Individuals should not be used as hostages in diplomatic negotiations. We are very concerned about Paul Whelan and have provided him with consular services. The U.S. government is following this case because he is a citizen of both the U.S. and the UK.' Russia has officially charged the detained American citizen with espionage. After leaving the U.S. Armed Forces, Paul Whelan worked as a manager in private American security companies, has traveled to Russia multiple times, and has many friends and acquaintances in the country. A few days ago, Mike Pompeo said he had asked the Russian government to clarify the reasons for Mr. Whelan's arrest, and if it is found unjustifiable, the U.S. will demand his immediate release and return. The Russian Federal Security Service has opened a case to investigate Paul Whelan but has not provided any information or evidence regarding the charges against him. Under Russian law, the punishment for espionage ranges from 10 to 20 years in prison. Reuters reports that despite the personal desire of the U.S. and Russian presidents to build better relations, the Paul Whelan case will escalate tensions between the two countries. The news agency adds that U.S. security agencies accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 presidential election. Russia has consistently denied this accusation. Vladimir Putin previously stated that he hoped to improve relations with Washington and would refrain from retaliatory actions against the U.S. However, Paul Whelan's arrest indicates that the Russian government's calculations in this regard have likely changed. Maria Butina, a Russian citizen, confessed last month after her arrest in the U.S. that her activities as a Russian spy aimed to influence conservative political groups. Some security experts believe that Paul Whelan's arrest was likely ordered by Vladimir Putin to create the conditions for a potential exchange with Ms. Butina. Dmitry Novikov, deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma, commented on the possibility of such an exchange, stating that the country's security agencies must first complete their investigations and 'then we will see.'