Paul Whelan’s Family Is ‘Devastated’ He Remains in Russia

• Paul Whelan’s family is “devastated” he’s still in Russia, but “happy” Brittney Griner was freed, they said Thursday.
• The 32-year-old WNBA star was freed from Russian jail Thursday in exchange for a weapons dealer.
• “”The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home and make a deal rather than wait,” he said.

Paul Whelan’s family is “devastated” he’s still in Russia, but “happy” Brittney Griner was freed, they said Thursday.

The 32-year-old WNBA star was freed from Russian jail Thursday in exchange for a weapons dealer.

Paul’s brother, David Whelan, said that, “As the family member of a Russian hostage, I can only imagine the joy she will have being reunited with her loved ones in time for the holidays.”

“The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home and make a deal rather than wait,” he said.

David and his family are upset the same couldn’t happen for his sibling, who has been detained since 2018 for espionage.

David: “Paul has fought hard to endure 4 years of injustice.” “His expectations rose when he heard the US government was taking significant moves towards his release. He was worried about where he’d live when he returned to the U.S.”

“How can you endure day after day when your country has failed twice to rescue you from a foreign prison? I can’t think he has any optimism that a government will negotiate his liberation at this point,” he concluded. Paul Whelan will remain a prisoner until the U.S. government can secure concessions from Russia.

“I worry that Paul won’t survive 12 more years in a Russian labour colony. He’s tried to stay healthy, but one wonders how long that determination can last,” David said, adding that “the likelihood that our parents will see their son again diminishes each day.”

Russia was only willing to negotiate for Griner, a U.S. official said. Even after Russia said they would only negotiate for Paul, the Biden administration reportedly made many offers.

“It was a choice between bringing home Brittney Griner or none,” they said.

I’m disappointed more hasn’t been done to secure my release, especially as the four-year anniversary of my arrest approaches. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred. I don’t understand why I’m still here.

Though he was happy Griner was released, he said he “thought things were moving in the right direction” for him as well.

he hopes Biden, 80, and his administration will “do everything they can to get me home, regardless of the price”

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced Paul’s arrest on New Year’s Eve 2018 during a “spy mission.” A U.S. government security source told that Paul is not a U.S. secret agent.

Biden said his administration will fight for Paul’s release after Griner’s. He said, “Brittney was never forgotten.” “Paul Whelan, unjustly detained in Russia for years, is not forgotten.”

Biden noted that the administration also successfully negotiated the release of American Trevor Reed this year. Reed, who was sentenced to nine years in a Russian jail in July 2020 for assaulting police officers, was freed in April.

Biden: “Russia’s treatment of Paul’s situation is illegitimate.” We haven’t yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, but we will never give up. My thoughts and prayers are with him today.

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