US makes swop offer to free Americans jailed in Russia

WASHINGTON • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he intends to speak to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about a "substantial" deal to free imprisoned Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.

A person familiar with the offer said it would swop for them imprisoned Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Mr Blinken's planned phone call with Mr Lavrov, announced in comments to reporters on Wednesday, would come amid continuing sharp exchanges over the war in Ukraine.

Mr Blinken spoke to Mr Lavrov on Feb 15 and then cancelled a planned meeting with his counterpart two days before Russia launched its invasion on Feb 24.

They have not spoken since.

The Biden administration has declined to comment on whether it would agree to release Bout, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the US, as part of a swop for women's basketball star Griner and former US Marine Whelan.

The US previously had spurned the possibility of freeing Bout in an exchange, saying he was guilty of extensive illicit arms sales.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on a possible prisoner exchange, state news service Tass reported.

The US has already offered a swop for Bout but Moscow so far has not accepted it, according to the person familiar with the proposal, who asked not to be identified discussing the negotiations.

CNN reported earlier on Wednesday that handing over Bout was part of the pending offer.

Whelan's lawyer, Mr Vladimir Zherebenkov, told Tass a deal is "theoretically" possible.

Mr Blinken declined to comment on Bout, saying only that US President Joe Biden is willing to make "tough decisions" to free imprisoned Americans.

At the White House, Mr John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters: "I'm not going to negotiate this thing in public, and I'm not going to talk about specific individuals."

Griner, a player for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury who plays for a Russian team during the off-season, was arrested in February after Customs officials said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage.

She pleaded guilty to smuggling charges this month, saying the infraction was unintentional, in a move that could pave the way for a prisoner exchange.

Although Griner has attracted global headlines, Whelan, who was convicted of spying in 2020, has been in Russian custody far longer - since 2018.

Mr Biden spoke to Whelan's sister this month, pledging to continue working for his release and that of other Americans wrongfully detained abroad.

"We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release," Mr Blinken said on Wednesday of Griner and Whelan.

"Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal."

Mr Blinken said he intends to use the conversation with Mr Lavrov "to follow up personally and, I hope, move us towards a resolution".

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