Wall Street Journal calls for US policy change on hostage takers after Gershkovich release: ‘Pay a price’

The Wall Street Journal is urging US policymakers to take a stronger stance on those who wrongfully imprison Americans following Evan Gershkovich's release.

"Mr. Putin has paid no price for imprisoning Mr. Gershkovich beyond bad publicity, and that he can ignore. At the same time he has won the release of his spies and an assassin. The release of [Vadim] Krasikov means he can tell his killers that even if they are captured abroad, he has a strategy to win their release," the board wrote. Nikolas Lanum is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.

The paper noted that this revelation poses an "awful dilemma" for U.S. policymakers. Once a hostage is taken, it can be difficult for a president to ignore their fate. A better policy, the board wrote, would be to deter hostage takers by letting them know "they will pay a price" for imprisoning Americans.