American and Russian authorities are discussing the release of basketball player Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan through special channels, according to a report Monday. In an interview with the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Elizabeth Rood, chargé d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, said the U.S. had submitted a serious proposal for the pair of Americans to be liberated but that the Kremlin has yet to reply with a “serious response.” WNBA star Griner is facing nine years’ imprisonment in Russia after being detained on drug charges in February. Whelan was arrested in 2018 after being accused of spying and sentenced in 2020 to 16 years. The Biden administration has already offered imprisoned Russian weapons trafficker Viktor Bout to the Kremlin in a potential prisoner swap deal.
