Blinken says he spoke to Paul Whelan, US citizen being held by Russia

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said he had spoken on Monday with Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who is being detained in Russia.

Blinken told a forum on hostage diplomacy that U.S. efforts to bring home Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is also being held by Russia, continued every day. He gave no details of the call with Whelan.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis, writing by David Ljunggren, editing by Chris Reese)