Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday he was ready for a call with US Secretary of State Antony blinken US basketball star to discuss possible prisoner swap involving Brittany grinner,
Blinken said on Wednesday that Washington had offered Russia a deal that would bring home Griner and another imprisoned American, Paul Whelan,
A person familiar with the matter said the US government has offered to trade the convicted Russian arms dealer victor bout For Whelan and Griner.
Speaking on a visit to Uzbekistan, Lavrov said his ministry had received an official US request for a call following Blinken’s statement. Russia’s top diplomat said he would be ready when he returned to Moscow and the timing of the call was being worked out.
Lavrov said he was ready to discuss prisoner exchanges, even though the Foreign Ministry has not been involved in previous discussions on the issue.
“I’ll listen to what he has to say,” said Lavrov.
Asked about the US offer on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that prisoner swaps were usually carefully negotiated behind the scenes.
“We know that issues like this are discussed without notice,” Peskov told reporters during a conference call.
“Generally speaking, the public learns about it when agreements have already come into force.”
Blinken’s comments marked the first time the US government had publicly disclosed any concrete action it had taken to secure Griner’s release.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA Phoenix Mercury player was arrested at a Moscow airport in mid-February after inspectors found wipe cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.
Griner’s arrest came at a time of heightened tension between Moscow and Washington before sending Russian troops to Ukraine on February 24.
Griner’s five-month detention drew strong criticism among teammates and supporters in the United States.
Her trial on drug charges began this month in a court outside Moscow, and she testified Wednesday that she didn’t know how the cartridges ended up in her bags, but found cannabis to be a treatment for career-related pain. Her doctor’s recommendation was to use it.
The 31-year-old has admitted his guilt but said he had no criminal intent to bring the cartridges to Russia and was packed in haste for his return to play in a Russian basketball league during the WNBA’s off-season.
He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of transporting drugs.
Biden The administration has faced political pressure to free Griner and other Americans, whom the US has declared “wrongfully detained” – a position sharply rejected by Russian officials.
Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive, was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison for espionage.
He and his family have vigorously claimed their innocence. The US government has called the allegations false.
Russia has expressed interest over the years in the release of Bout, a Russian arms dealer who was once called a “merchant of death”.
In 2012 he was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges that he planned to illegally sell weapons worth millions of dollars.
Blinken said on Wednesday that Washington had offered Russia a deal that would bring home Griner and another imprisoned American, Paul Whelan,
A person familiar with the matter said the US government has offered to trade the convicted Russian arms dealer victor bout For Whelan and Griner.
Speaking on a visit to Uzbekistan, Lavrov said his ministry had received an official US request for a call following Blinken’s statement. Russia’s top diplomat said he would be ready when he returned to Moscow and the timing of the call was being worked out.
Lavrov said he was ready to discuss prisoner exchanges, even though the Foreign Ministry has not been involved in previous discussions on the issue.
“I’ll listen to what he has to say,” said Lavrov.
Asked about the US offer on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that prisoner swaps were usually carefully negotiated behind the scenes.
“We know that issues like this are discussed without notice,” Peskov told reporters during a conference call.
“Generally speaking, the public learns about it when agreements have already come into force.”
Blinken’s comments marked the first time the US government had publicly disclosed any concrete action it had taken to secure Griner’s release.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA Phoenix Mercury player was arrested at a Moscow airport in mid-February after inspectors found wipe cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.
Griner’s arrest came at a time of heightened tension between Moscow and Washington before sending Russian troops to Ukraine on February 24.
Griner’s five-month detention drew strong criticism among teammates and supporters in the United States.
Her trial on drug charges began this month in a court outside Moscow, and she testified Wednesday that she didn’t know how the cartridges ended up in her bags, but found cannabis to be a treatment for career-related pain. Her doctor’s recommendation was to use it.
The 31-year-old has admitted his guilt but said he had no criminal intent to bring the cartridges to Russia and was packed in haste for his return to play in a Russian basketball league during the WNBA’s off-season.
He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted of transporting drugs.
Biden The administration has faced political pressure to free Griner and other Americans, whom the US has declared “wrongfully detained” – a position sharply rejected by Russian officials.
Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive, was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison for espionage.
He and his family have vigorously claimed their innocence. The US government has called the allegations false.
Russia has expressed interest over the years in the release of Bout, a Russian arms dealer who was once called a “merchant of death”.
In 2012 he was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges that he planned to illegally sell weapons worth millions of dollars.