The State Department's official decision reflects Washington's serious commitment to the case. Ivan Gershkovich was arrested by Russian security services on March 29.
Russian news agencies reported Friday that he had been charged with espionage. The Wall Street Journal, one of the most prominent newspapers in the U.S., said it "strongly denies the allegations" against its "trusted and dedicated reporter""Journalism is not a crime," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in a statement.