US "hunts" for Russians in order to swap them for Americans arrested in Russia

The Biden administration is looking for opportunities to release the Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan detained in Russia; in order to do this, the United States turned to allied countries, in which Russian citizens are detained, being suspected of espionage.

Source: CNN with reference to three sources familiar with the matter

Details: The US believes that Russia illegally detained Gershkovich and Whelan. Current and former US officials say they currently have no high-ranking Russian spies in custody, prompting them to turn to their allies for help, CNN wrote.

The outlet adds that the Biden administration has reached out to allied countries that hold Russian citizens suspected of espionage in order to assess whether they are ready to hand over the detainees as part of a large prisoner swap package.

CNN also noted that US officials are communicating with countries, in which there are no arrested Russians, in order to find ideas that could encourage Moscow to release the Americans.

According to the sources, the White House is even considering some sanctions relief if it will facilitate the swap.

In private conversations with CNN, U.S. officials said they wanted Gershkovich and Whelan back as part of the same deal. At the same time, two officials told CNN that the White House wants to see what proposals might be of interest to Russia.

As CNN said, the US is relying on countries that have recently arrested suspected Russian spies, including Brazil, Norway and Germany, as well as former Soviet bloc countries, to discuss the possibility of their involvement in any potential swap.

Background:

• In December 2018, the Russian FSB announced the arrest of American "spy" Paul Whelan.
• On 29 March, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB) detained Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, in Yekaterinburg, and a criminal case had been opened against him for espionage. Gershkovich had collected information about the attitude of Russians to the war and the recruitment of residents by the Wagner Group Private Military Company (PMC)
• The Moscow court ordered to have Evan Gershkovich arrested until 29 May. 
• The WSJ denied Russia's accusations of espionage and demanded the journalist's release.
• The US Department of State designated Gershkovich "wrongfully  detained".
• According to the media reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally approved the arrest of US reporter Evan Gershkovich whom Russia accuses of espionage.

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