After prison sentence for US star Griner: Russia open to prisoner exchange

After the conviction of US basketball player Griner in Russia, Foreign Minister Lavrov hinted at a possible exchange of prisoners with the United States. Moscow is “ready to talk about the issue” – on one condition.

According to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russia is ready to discuss a prisoner exchange with Washington. Moscow is “ready to talk about the issue,” Lavrov said at a press conference during a visit to Cambodia.

For the talks, however, a direct communication channel between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden must be maintained. There is “a special channel” that has been agreed between the heads of state, Lavrov said. “Despite certain public statements” this continues to exist.

Lavrov does not name names

Lavrov left open which people could be specifically negotiated. He also did not name the US basketball player Brittney Griner, who is currently the focus of the debate.

A Russian court yesterday sentenced Griner to nine years in prison for drug possession. According to the judiciary, the athlete had so-called vape cartridges and hashish oil with her during a baggage check at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. It is said to have been 0.5 grams. This was ruled as illegal drug possession and attempted smuggling.

The court saw no mitigating circumstances and stayed just under the maximum penalty. Griner had pleaded guilty. Internationally, the verdict was criticized as politically motivated.

Swap with Russian arms dealer?

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Lavrov on the phone for the first time since the Russian offensive in Ukraine began. After the call, Blinken said he had put pressure on his Russian counterpart to accept Washington’s “serious proposal” for the release of Griner and US citizen Paul Whelan, who has been sentenced to 16 years for espionage.

According to several US media, the two US prisoners could be exchanged for the notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. He is said to have illegally equipped regimes and rebels in numerous countries with weapons. The Russian, notorious as the “dealer of death”, is imprisoned as an arms dealer in the USA.