US pushes Russia to accept deal in Brittney Griner case

• Brittney Griner is serving a nine-year sentence in a Russian prison.
• She was convicted of drug possession and smuggling.
• Moscow says it is willing to discuss prisoner exchanges with Washington.

The US has urged Moscow to accept a deal to release basketball player Brittney Griner, who is serving a nine-year sentence in a Russian prison.

After admitting to possessing cannabis oil, the double Olympic gold medalist was convicted of drug possession and smuggling.

The US offer, according to White House national security spokesman John Kirby, is “a serious proposal,” but no details were provided.

Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, stated on Friday that Moscow is ready to discuss the issue.

According to reports in the US media, Washington is offering a prisoner swap involving a Russian arms trafficker.

Viktor Bout, dubbed the “merchant of death,” is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States.

According to reports, he could be handed over to Russian authorities in exchange for Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan.

Whelan, who holds US, British, Canadian, and Irish passports, was sentenced to 16 years in prison in Russia in 2020 after being found guilty of spying.

Mr Kirby told reporters that the two were being wrongfully detained and that they should be released.
In response to the US proposal, Mr Kirby stated: “We implore them to accept it. They should have accepted it when we first proposed it weeks ago.”

According to Reuters, one stumbling block is that Russia wants to include convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov, who is currently imprisoned in Germany, in the proposed swap.

When asked about this possibility, Mr Kirby said, “I don’t think we go so far as to call it a counter-offer.”

Griner, 31, testified in court that she made a “honest mistake” and did not intend to break the law.

She was detained in February at an airport near Moscow after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were discovered in her luggage.

She is regarded as one of the best female players in the world. She had travelled to Russia to play club basketball during the off-season in the United States.

Soon after, Russia invaded Ukraine, and her case has become the subject of high-level diplomacy between the United States and Russia.

Her defence team stated that they would appeal the verdict.

Griner’s Phoenix Mercury teammates, along with their Connecticut Sun opponents, observed 42 seconds of silence before their game on Thursday, in honour of her number 42 jersey.

“I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates.” US President Joe Biden said of her sentence.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated, “Russia, and any country engaging in wrongful detention, poses a risk to the safety of everyone travelling, working, and living abroad.”

Mr. Blinken raised the issue with Mr. Lavrov in a phone call last week, their first since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war.

Mr Lavrov said a day after Griner’s sentencing that Moscow is willing to discuss prisoner exchanges with Washington, but only through an existing diplomatic channel agreed upon by Presidents Putin and Biden, according to Reuters.

Both Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Blinken are currently in Cambodia for an ASEAN meeting. According to the US, Mr. Blinken will try to speak with Mr. Lavrov again while they are there.

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