WASHINGTON – US efforts to negotiate the freedom of a former Marine held in Russia as part of the swop involving basketball star Brittney Griner were thwarted by Moscow’s demand for the release of a convicted murderer held in Germany, according to a top US official and media reports.
The swop of Griner for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout raised questions as to why the US side had failed to secure the simultaneous release of Paul Whelan, a former Marine accused by Moscow of spying – a charge Washington flatly rejects.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby was asked on Sunday about reports negotiations had stumbled over a Russian demand for the release of Vadim Krasikov, a former colonel in Russia’s domestic spy organisation serving a life sentence for murder in Germany.
Mr Kirby acknowledged on ABC’s This Week that “there was a claim that they wanted a man named Mr Krasikov, that the Germans have held in custody”.
“That just wasn’t considered a serious offer,” said Mr Kirby, who characterised Krasikov as “an assassin”.
Mr Kirby had told CNN in late July that including Krasikov in any deal was “a bad faith attempt (by Moscow) to avoid a very serious offer” from the US side.
On Friday, White House spokesman Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the Krasikov matter.
Krasikov is serving a life sentence in Germany for murdering a Chechen fighter in a park in Berlin in 2019, a killing which the German authorities say was ordered by Russian intelligence services.
Some US diplomats believe the demand for Krasikov’s release originated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was wary of providing a political boost to US President Joe Biden at a time of fierce hostility over Ukraine, The New York Times reported.
Mr Roger Carstens, special US presidential envoy for hostage affairs, told CNN he had spoken to Whelan on Friday, the day after the Griner-Bout swop. Whelan expressed his “frustration”, Mr Carstens said.
“Here’s what I told him. I said: ‘Paul, you have the commitment of this President. The President’s focused. The Secretary of State’s focused. I’m certainly focused, and we’re going to bring you home... Keep the faith. We’re coming to get you.’ ”
Mr Carsten said the administration could soon use new powers included in an executive order signed by Mr Biden this summer that authorised sanctions and visa bans against people responsible for wrongfully detaining American citizens.
“We’re working on target packages right now. It’s something that we discuss all the time. And it’s not going to be too long before you see something rolled out,” he told CNN.
Whelan’s brother David said he was aware of a meeting among Biden administration officials early on Monday but not its agenda or scope.
“It’s great that the White House is not letting any grass grow under their feet,” he told Reuters. “Given that it is coming just days after an exchange with Russia, it would seem unfair to set any expectations or pressure on first steps to recalibrate on bringing Paul home.”
The White House had no comment on Monday’s meeting or the possible roll-out of new sanctions.
Asked what realistic options the US government had to bring Whelan home, Mr Carstens told CNN: “I would love to tell you about it, because, to me, they’re very exciting and interesting. But... in these negotiations, because they’re ongoing, we usually have to keep our cards close to our chest.”
Mr Putin himself said on Friday during a visit to Kyrgyzstan that further prisoner swops were “possible”. AFP, REUTERS
