Imprisoned Athlete
Moscow does not accept offer for Griner’s release
Brittney Griner, WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, at the sentencing hearing in Moscow. photo
© Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Reuters/AP/dpa
US basketball player Brittney Griner is to serve nine years in prison in Russia. Relatives and fans are hoping for negotiations between Washington and Moscow – but the White House is dampening expectations.
According to the White House, no breakthrough is in sight in the negotiations for the release of the Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan imprisoned in Russia. “They didn’t take up our offer,” National Security Council communications director John Kirby said of the Russian side. “But that doesn’t mean that we’re not still negotiating and not trying.” The broadcaster CNN, citing a senior government official, reported that there was “movement but no breakthrough” in efforts to get the man released.
US President Joe Biden received relatives of Griner and Whelan at the White House on Friday afternoon. The basketball player Griner had to answer in court in Russia for drug possession and was sentenced to a long prison term. Whelan, who has multiple citizenships, was arrested in Russia in December 2018 and sentenced to prison on charges of espionage. The US government had made an offer to Russia weeks ago to get the two released – details about the content were not given. According to media reports, it should be an exchange of prisoners.