This is Ask An Expert, where every weekday at 9:20 am, KCBS Radio is giving you direct access to top experts in various fields.

Today: A Russian court sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in a high-security penal colony on espionage charges, widely considered fabricated. 

This sentence accelerates the potential for a prisoner swap between the US and Russia. Despite the quick trial and lack of public evidence, could this verdict be a signal that Moscow is ready for negotiations? 

To answer that question and more, KCBS Radio news anchor Eric Thomas spoke with William Pomeranz, Director of the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center and Russian law expert.

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