Paul Whelan: US, Russia agree to explore more prisoner swaps

The US and Russia accidental they person agreed to sermon much captive swaps, a time aft an American hoops prima was exchanged for a notorious arms dealer.

Brittney Griner is backmost successful the US pursuing 10 months successful a Russian jail.

The White House is nether unit to escaped ex-US Marine Paul Whelan, who has been successful a Russian jailhouse for 4 years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said much swaps were "possible" - a uncommon illustration of US-Russian co-operation amid Moscow's warfare with Ukraine.

When asked astatine a acme successful Kyrgyzstan connected Friday whether different US-Russia captive exchanges could instrumentality place, Mr Putin responded: "We aren't refusing to proceed this enactment successful the future."

He added that "everything is possible" and noted that "compromises" had been recovered to wide the mode for Thursday's high-profile exchange.

Griner, who was arrested successful February for possessing cannabis lipid astatine a Moscow airport, was traded for convicted weapons trafficker Viktor Bout, who was flown backmost to Russia aft 12 years.

Griner was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center successful San Antonio, Texas, upon landing successful the US, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said connected Friday.

She did not accidental however agelong the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) prima would stay astatine the facility.

The White House's John Kirby told US TV web MSNBC connected Friday greeting that the two-time Olympic golden medallist was successful "good spirits" and "good health".

US President Joe Biden's medication has faced a backlash for not managing to bring location Whelan on with Griner.

The Michigan autochthonal was sentenced by a Russian tribunal to 16 years successful situation successful 2018 connected spying charges.

There volition beryllium "discussions going forward" connected however to get Whelan backmost home, US authorities section spokesperson Ned Price said connected Friday.

"Our connection to him has been the same," helium told MSNBC.

"We are coming for you. Keep the faith. We're going to bring you location conscionable arsenic soon arsenic we can."

Whelan and his household person welcomed Griner's release, but the ex-Marine told CNN connected Thursday by telephone from the distant penal colony wherever helium is being held that helium was disappointed much had not been done to escaped him.

At the White House connected Thursday, Mr Biden maintained efforts were continuing to bring Whelan home.

"While we person not yet succeeded successful securing Paul's merchandise we are not giving up," helium said.

Republican lawmakers person led disapproval of the White House, arguing that freeing specified a high-profile captive arsenic Bout should person warranted the merchandise of 2 Americans.

Incoming House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee president Michael McCaul said the Biden medication "got played".

"We should beryllium precise careful, due to the fact that if we don't negociate these exchanges properly, it tin extremity up successful much detentions, mendacious detentions of truly guiltless Americans successful Russia," said the Texas Republican congressman.

Bout - known arsenic the Merchant of Death - was serving a 25-year situation condemnation successful the US aft his apprehension successful Thailand.

Since Griner's release, much details person emerged connected US-Russia captive speech negotiations.

This summer, Russia told the US it would beryllium consenting to swap Whelan for Vadim Krasikov, a erstwhile colonel from Russia's home spy organisation who is successful German custody, according to a US official.

Moscow wanted a "spy for a spy", the authoritative said.

The US appealed to the German authorities to effort to see Krasikov - who was convicted of sidesplitting a Georgian national successful Berlin successful 2019 - but the state denied this request, the authoritative said.

The US projected respective different options to the Russian authorities to effort to unafraid Whelan's release, including Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national who is accused of wealth laundering, hacking and extortion, according to CNN. But those options failed, the outlet reported.

The swap is the 2nd with Russia of Mr Biden's presidency. In April erstwhile US Marine Trevor Reed, who was convicted for attacking Russian officers during a drunken nighttime successful Moscow, was traded for convicted Russian cause smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko.