Russian diplomacy chief Sergei Lavrov said on Friday (5) the country is ready to discuss with the US government a prisoner swap that could include American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug trafficking.
The 31-year-old, two-time Olympic champion, is in the midst of the geopolitical crisis between the US and Russia in the middle of the conflict in Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden on Thursday called Griner’s conviction “unacceptable”. Washington accuses Moscow of politicizing the case to gain concessions.
The White House has said for several days that it has submitted a proposal to the Kremlin to secure Griner’s release, but Russian diplomacy has reiterated that it can only discuss a swap after the decision was announced on Thursday.
“We are ready to discuss the issue only within the framework of the (communication) channel established by Presidents (Vladimir) Putin and (Joe) Biden,” Lavrov said at a press conference in Cambodia.
“There is a private channel accepted by the Presidents and it continues to work despite some public statements,” he added.
Speaking to his Russian counterpart last week about a possible prisoner exchange, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that Washington would continue to discuss the issue with Moscow.
Blinken also said the ruling against Griner highlights Moscow’s “use of illegal detention to further its own agenda”. The secretary criticized the use of “individuals as political pawns”.
“Serious Offer”
A Russian court on Thursday sentenced Brittney Griner, considered one of the best basketball players in the world, to nine years in prison for drug trafficking.
The decision of the Russian court caused great indignation, especially in the sports world.
Griner was arrested in the Russian capital in February with a vape containing hemp-based oil.
The athlete admitted to possession of the substance. However, he unwittingly declared that he entered Russia with the product and legally used it as a pain reliever in the United States.
Before the WNBA season, Griner had landed in Russia to play in the domestic league; this was common among American basketball players, who often earned higher salaries abroad than in the United States.
He is one of several US citizens currently held in Russia.
The US government said last week it had made a “consistent” and “serious” offer to secure the extradition of Griner and Paul Whelan, who were sentenced to 16 years in prison for “espionage” in Russia.
Russian arms dealer
According to the American press, the offer includes the exchange of the famous Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was detained in the USA, with Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the United States.
Known as the “Merchant of Death”, his trajectory inspired the movie “Lord of the Guns” (2005), in which Nicolas Cage plays a cynical arms dealer.
The arms dealer’s wife, Alla Bout, said on Thursday that she expected a swap with those close to Brittney Griner and expressed her “compassion”. “May God ensure that our countries reach an agreement,” Ria told the Novosti news agency.
The countries did not ratify, and Moscow, annoyed by some of the statements by US government officials, insists on its desire to preserve the secrecy of the negotiations.
“If the Americans decide to again engage in public diplomacy and loud statements … that is their problem and their problem,” Lavrov added, adding that Washington “cannot work properly and professionally” on various issues.
source: Noticias
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