Russia's foreign minister reacts to proposed prisoner swap

Russian Strange Government minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that he's open to a call with U.Due south. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss a possible prisoner swap involving American basketball star Brittney Griner.

Blinken said Wednesday that Washington had offered Russia a deal that would bring home Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan. A person familiar with the matter said the U.South. government proposed trading convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Whelan and Griner.

Speaking on a visit to Uzbekistan, Lavrov said his ministry had received an official U.S. request for a call later Blinken fabricated the statement. Russian federation'due south top diplomat said he would be set up once he returns to Moscow and that the timing of the telephone call was being worked out.

Lavrov said he was open up to discussing the prisoner exchange, even though the Foreign Ministry hasn't been involved in previous discussions on the issue.

"I will heed to what he has to say," Lavrov added.

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Asked Thursday near the U.Due south. offering, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that prisoner swaps were typically negotiated discreetly behind the scenes.

"We know that such bug are discussed without any such release of information," Peskov told reporters during a conference telephone call. "Normally, the public learns nigh it when the agreements are already implemented."

Blinken's comments marked the start fourth dimension the U.Due south. authorities publicly revealed any concrete action it has taken to secure Griner'south release. The two-time Olympic golden medalist and player for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury was arrested at a Moscow aerodrome in mid-Feb when inspectors constitute vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.

Griner's arrest came at a fourth dimension of heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington ahead of Russia sending troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Griner's five months of detention have raised strong criticism among teammates and supporters in the United states.

Rev. Al Sharpton and Cherelle Griner, wife of Brittney Griner, spoke Friday to commend the WNBA star as she remains detained in Russia and to offer gratitude for the outpouring of support, including from President Joe Biden.

Her trial on drug charges started in a court outside Moscow this month, and she testified Wed that she didn't know how the cartridges ended upward in her bag just that she had a doctor's recommendation to use cannabis to treat career-related pain.

The 31-year-sometime has pleaded guilty simply said she had no criminal intent in bringing the cartridges to Russian federation and packed in haste for her return to play in a Russian basketball league during the WNBA'due south offseason. She faces upwardly to ten years in prison if convicted of transporting drugs.

The Biden administration has faced political pressure level to complimentary Griner and other Americans whom the U.S. has declared to be "wrongfully detained" — a designation sharply rejected by Russian officials.

Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, was sentenced to xvi years in prison on espionage charges in 2020. He and his family have vigorously asserted his innocence. The U.Due south. government has denounced the charges as false.

Russia has for years expressed interest in the release of Bout, a Russian artillery dealer once labeled the "Merchant of Death." He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2012 on charges that he schemed to illegally sell millions of dollars in weapons.

Source: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/russia-says-it-will-discuss-us-prisoner-swap-offer-involving-brittney-griner/2901549/

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