President

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Biden spoke with the parents of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the Moscow-based journalist was detained in Russia and charged with espionage.

Biden called as he flew to Belfast to begin a four-day trip to Northern Ireland and Ireland. The call came a day after the Biden administration formally stated that the reporter had been wrongfully detained.”

The designation elevates Gershkovich’s case to the US government and means a particular State Department office will take charge

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in seeking his release.

Before leaving Washington on Tuesday, Biden again condemned the journalist’s detention. Both the US government and the Wall Street Journal have vehemently denied Russia’s accusation that Gershkovich is a spy.

We make it very clear that what is happening is completely illegal, and we have declared it so,” Biden said. It changes the dynamic.

Russia is formally suing Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, the report said

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters after the call that Biden felt it was very important to connect with the Evans family, his parents.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the Russian government has not yet granted US consular access to Gershkovich.

It’s not for lack of efforts, Kirby said, adding that the State Department has been asking for access “since we found out he was being held.

Russian authorities arrested Gershkovich on March 29 in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city. He is the first US correspondent since the Cold War to be detained for alleged espionage.

Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to the reporting.