Russian International Minister open to discussing U.S. prisoner swap supply involving Brittney Griner

Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov stated Friday that he’s open to a name with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to debate a potential prisoner swap involving American basketball star Brittney Griner.

Blinken stated Wednesday that Washington had offered Russia a deal that will carry house Griner and one other jailed American, Paul Whelan. In line with a number of studies, the U.S. authorities has proposed buying and selling convicted Russian arms supplier Viktor Bout for Whelan and Griner.

Talking on a go to to Uzbekistan, Lavrov stated his ministry had obtained an official U.S. request for a name after Blinken made the assertion. Russia’s prime diplomat stated he can be prepared as soon as he returns to Moscow and that the timing of the decision was being labored out.

Lavrov stated he was open to discussing the prisoner trade, despite the fact that the International Ministry hasn’t been concerned in earlier discussions on the problem.

“I’ll hearken to what he has to say,” Lavrov added.

Asked Thursday about the U.S. offer, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated prisoner swaps have been usually negotiated discreetly behind the scenes.

“We all know that such points are mentioned with none such launch of data,” Peskov informed reporters throughout a convention name. “Usually, the general public learns about it when the agreements are already carried out.”

Blinken’s feedback marked the primary time the U.S. authorities publicly revealed any concrete motion it has taken to safe Griner’s launch. The Phoenix Mercury middle and two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested at a Moscow airport in mid-February when inspectors discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her baggage.

Griner’s arrest got here at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington forward of Russia sending troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. Griner’s 5 months of detention have raised sturdy criticism amongst teammates and supporters in the US.

Her trial on drug fees began in a courtroom exterior Moscow this month, and she or he testified Wednesday that she did not know the way the cartridges ended up in her bag however that she had a physician’s suggestion to make use of hashish to deal with career-related ache.

The 31-year-old has pleaded responsible however stated she had no prison intent in bringing the cartridges to Russia and packed in haste for her return to play in a Russian basketball league throughout the WNBA’s offseason. She faces as much as 10 years in jail if convicted of transporting medication. Sources have informed ESPN’s T.J. Quinn {that a} verdict and sentence are anticipated Aug. 5.

The Biden administration has confronted political strain to free Griner and different People whom the U.S. has declared to be “wrongfully detained” — a designation sharply rejected by Russian officers.

Whelan, a company safety govt from Michigan, was sentenced to 16 years in jail on espionage fees in 2020. He and his household have vigorously asserted his innocence. The U.S. authorities has denounced the costs as false.

Ought to a name with between Blinken and Lavrov happen, it might be their first dialog since Feb. 15.

Russia has for years expressed curiosity within the launch of Bout, a Russian arms supplier as soon as labeled the “Service provider of Demise.” He was sentenced to 25 years in jail in 2012 on fees that he schemed to illegally promote thousands and thousands of {dollars} in weapons.

The Related Press contributed to this report.