Biden Administration Negotiates “Substantial” Deal to Recover Two Americans Held in Russia

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he will speak with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in coming days about a “substantial” offer aimed at bringing home American basketball star Brittney Griner and ex-Marine Paul Whelan. , both currently detained in Russia.

“With a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate the release [de Whelan y Griner]our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly about that proposal,” Blinken told a news conference on Wednesday.

The secretary of state, however, declined to confirm recent reports that the deal offered could involve a prisoner swap, with arms dealer Viktor Bout a possible key player in the deal.

Other issues expected to come up between Blinken and the Russian foreign minister include the implementation of an agreement to resume grain exports through Ukraine’s Black Sea ports and Russia’s annexation of the eastern Donbas region after last february invasion.

The two top diplomats last spoke in person on February 15, days before Russia launched its military invasion of Ukraine.

“My hope would be to speak with Foreign Minister Lavrov, as I can advance efforts to bring them home,” said the senior US official.

Griner admitted arriving in Russia in February with vape bottles containing cannabis oil in her luggage, but testified at a court hearing Wednesday that her interpreter translated only a fraction of what was said for her when authorities arrested her.

Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan detained on espionage-related charges that his family contends are false, has been held in Russia since late 2018.

^{* With information from Nike Ching, a VOA journalist, from Washington DC.}

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