Speaking to reporters on Tuesday ahead of a trip to Belfast, President Joe Biden stressed that the detention of Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich in Russia was “completely illegal”.
Biden said he was trying to contact family members of the reporter.
Recall that on Monday, the State Department attributed to Gershkovich, arrested in Russia on March 30, the status of “wrongfully detained”. Now the issue of his return to his homeland has been transferred to the Office of the Special Representative of the President for Hostage Affairs.
According to State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedanta Patel, the United States has not yet received consular access to Gershkovich.
The White House chief arrives in Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening to mark the 25th anniversary of the peace deal that ended 30 years of bloodshed.
Biden is expected to meet representatives of Northern Ireland’s five main parties on Wednesday ahead of a speech at Ulster University, a senior administration official said.
“Twenty-five years ago, the leaders of Northern Ireland chose peace. I look forward to commemorating this anniversary in Belfast by highlighting America’s commitment to maintaining peace and promoting prosperity,” Biden tweeted.
The Northern Ireland Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has said Biden’s visit – the first visit by a US president in more than 10 years – will not force him to stop protesting post-Brexit trade rules. The rules for Northern Ireland are different from those for other parts of the UK.
Biden, who will be greeted by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak upon his arrival, will offer the opportunity for closer investment ties between the United States and Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, Britain’s intelligence service MI5 recently raised the domestic terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland to “severe”.
Biden, who speaks proudly of his Irish roots, will also spend three days in the Republic of Ireland. He will speak in Dublin before the country’s parliament, meet Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and visit the homes of his ancestors on both coasts.
Read the latest news about the Ukraine conflict on The Eastern Herald .
