Russia Confirms Brittney Griner Prisoner Swap Discussions with US
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Russia has confirmed negotiations with the U.S. regarding a potential prisoner swap to bring home WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday revealed that private talks are underway between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin via a channel established in June 2021 when the two leaders met in Geneva. One Russian diplomat on Saturday said that Moscow is eyeing a trade where Washington would release Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout for Griner.
Bout, also known as "The Merchant of Death," is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for supplying weapons to a terrorist organization and plotting to kill U.S. citizens. Meanwhile, a Russian court has sentenced Griner to 9 years in prison for allegedly smuggling two vape cartridges with cannabis.
Coverage was widespread and mostly balanced across the spectrum. Some reports accentuated experts who argued that exchanging Bout for Griner is an "uncomfortable" but "necessary trade," while other outlets highlighted those who denied that logic and said that the trade would "hurt the U.S."
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Russia confirms prisoner swap negotiations are underway for Griner, Whelan
Russia confirmed for the first time on Thursday that it is negotiating with the U.S. regarding a possible prisoner swap deal that would secure the freedom of WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan.
Driving the news: The news comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed last week that Russia was "ready to discuss" a potential deal.
- A Russian court found Griner guilty on drug charges last week and sentenced her to nine years in prison.
- Whelan was arrested in Moscow in 2018 for allegedly possessing classified information. He was sentenced to 16 ...
From the Right
Russia admits it’s in talks for Brittney Griner-Viktor Bout prisoner exchange: diplomat
Russia has admitted that it is in talks with the US to exchange a notorious arms dealer for basketball player Brittney Griner, a Russian diplomat said.
The diplomat’s comments marked the first time Russia said it was in talks to exchange Griner for Viktor Bout, 55, who is in prison in the US, according to a report.
“The discussions on the very sensitive topic of an exchange are proceeding via the channels chosen by our presidents,” Alexander Datchiev, the head of the North America department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, was...
From the Left
Russia confirms prisoner swap talks as U.S. hopes for Griner, Whelan release 
Russia confirmed Thursday for the first time that negotiations between Washington and Moscow on a prisoner exchange are underway, after the United States proposed a deal to release WNBA star Brittney Griner and another American prisoner, Paul Whelan.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said talks are underway via a channel set up by President Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin when they met in Geneva in June last year.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ivan Nechayev said Thursday that negotiations about an exchange began after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed last week...
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