US pushing hard for WSJ reporter's release from Russia - White House

Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich, detained on suspicion of espionage, leaves a court building in Moscow, Russia March 30, 2023. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. government is pushing hard for the release of a Wall Street Journal reporter held in Russia, and tracking his detention closely, the White House said Monday.

"We have been pushing hard since the moment we found out the reporter was detained," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.