Russian minister says US ‘isn’t helping’ by bringing up prisoner swap talks on reporter Gershkovich [Video]

TANZANIA – Russia’s foreign minister blamed “the Americans” for publicly bringing up a possible prisoner exchange involving imprisoned Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, which he said “isn’t helping.”

A day before Gershkovich appeared in court on espionage charges, Sergey Lavrov told a U.N. news conference Wednesday that confidential negotiations are still “ongoing.” Russia has previously signaled the possibility of a swap, but it says a verdict would have to come first.

Gershkovich, the Journal and the U.S. vehemently deny the allegations against him and denounce the trial as …