White House officials meeting to discuss next steps in Paul Whelan's case

White House officials are convening a planning session Monday to discuss the next steps in securing retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan's freedom from Russia, an official with the National Security Council confirmed to CBS News.

The meeting is part of the Biden administration's "continued work" on Whelan's case, and is "routine," according to the official. Whelan, 52, was arrested by Russian authorities at a Moscow hotel in December 2018 on espionage charges and sentenced to 16 years in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at a remote penal colony.

Roger Carstens, special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, said Sunday in an interview on MSNBC that Biden administration officials would be convening Monday to continue discussions on securing Whelan's release from Russia.