anton trioanovski is the new york times moscow bureau chief. ich in moscow, and has been a friend. on the one hand, this was completely expected. we knew these types of trials in russia pretty much always end in a guilty verdict, and we knew he was going to get close to the maximum of 20 years in prison that he was facing. so it was very much expected. but then if you pause to think about it, it's really such a travesty and such an assault on press freedom and onjournalism and even just on common sense, because it's so clear that evan was simply doing his job when he was working in russia and arrested last year. how is he? well, you know, it's possible to exchange letters with him which i have done over the last year—plus since his arrest. and i can say that, you know, he's been incredibly strong. i think he understands, has understood throughout this process, what a serious situation this is. but he's kept his hopes up. he's kept his spirits up. he's kept the spirits up of those close to him on the outside who are so worried about him. um, and,

let's speak to anton trioanovski the new york times moscow bureau chief, joining us in berlin. gershkovich in moscow, and has been a friend. cani can i ask you for your reaction to today's sentencing. i can i ask you for your reaction to today's sentencing.— today's sentencing. i think he utted today's sentencing. i think he potted really _ today's sentencing. i think he putted really well _ today's sentencing. i think he putted really welljust - today's sentencing. i think he putted really welljust now, l today's sentencing. i think he l putted really welljust now, on today's sentencing. i think he - putted really welljust now, on the one hand, this was completely expected, we knew that these types of trials in are pretty much ending in verdict. we knew he was going to get close to the maximum of 20 years in prison, that he was facing. so, it was very much expected but if you pause to think about it, it is really such a travesty and such an assault on press freedom and journalism. evenjust on assault on press freedom and journalism. even just on common sense because it is so c

the white house have denied the charge was miss anton and toya no scheme is the moscow bureau chief for the new york times, he's also a friend of evan goose could, which you told us how he feels about this prison sentence. well, look, those for starters, those uh charges you described. we've heard from the russian authorities are, are just absolutely absurd. so it's clear that evan was doing nothing but his job in the pottery in burke last year. a really important job really is one of the only american journalists working in restaurant at that time. what went through my mind today, you know, it was um, it was both expected and just average us at the same time. uh, you know, we know that the russian court system is not independent. we know that when cases like this come before court in russia, there's pretty much always a conviction. there's pretty much all the ways a half the prism term. so um i both knew that this was going to happen, but then you stop and think about the fact that someone can get 16 years in prison just for doing their job is a tremendous listed it bottles to mind is, is there a reason

new crane. the wall street journal and the white house have denied the charge was on joined mail by anton toya north sky. he's the moscow bureau chief for the new york times. he joins me tonight from right here in berlin and told it's good to see, you know, you're not only a fellow journalist, you're also a friend of evan. gosh, could which, what went through your mind that they wouldn't when you heard the verdict in the sentence here of 16 years in prison? well, look, those um, for starters, those uh charges you described. we've heard from the russian authorities are, are just absolutely absurd. so it's clear that evan was doing nothing but his job in the pottery and berg last year. a really important job really is one of the only american journalists working in russia at that time. what went through my mind today, you know, it was um, it was both expected and just outragious. at the same time. you know, we know that the russian court system is not independent. we know that when cases like this come before court in russia, there's pretty much always a conviction. there's pretty much all the ways a half the prison term. so and i both knew that this was go

strike back with us now as peter baker, white house correspondent for the new york times and also served as moscow bureau chief for the washington post. you worked in moscow. you know the country very well. you certainly covered latimer putin closely. give me your reactions to this case and perhaps any insight into why russia wanted to do this and the leverage it now has to try to secure the release of prisoners that the west may have, russian prisoners. >> this is the way putin's russia operates. journalism there is considered to be a crime. speaking the truth there is considered to be a crime. asking questions is considered to be a crime and that is what evan has been convicted of here, nothing else. it is nonsense to equate what he does as a journalist with espionage but that is the paranoid and security-minded authoritarian mentality of the government in russia, and what they have done here is taken hostage in order to barter with the west, and the trick for the west, the trick for the washington and biden administration is that once again, you are left in the untenable position of making a trade at