US says 'substantial proposal' made to secure release of 2 Americans jailed in Russia

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US has made a "substantial proposal" to secure the release of two Americans jailed in Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.

The top diplomat said he soon expects to speak to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, for the first time since the Kremlin went to war against Ukraine in February to discuss the release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.

Griner, 31, is a WNBA player who was taken into custody in February after Russian authorities said they found marijuana oil in her possession. She pleaded guilty earlier in July to drug charges but has maintained she has used medicinal cannabis to treat pain and denied she intended to violate Russian law.

Whelan has been held in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges.

Blinken said their release is a "top priority" for the Biden administration and the US offer was put on the table "weeks ago."

"Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal, and I will use the conversation to follow up personally, and I hope, move us toward a resolution," said Blinken. "We are very focused on getting Brittany and Paul home. At the same time, I'm also focused every single day on arbitrarily detained Americans in more than half a dozen countries around the world."

US President Joe Biden has been directly involved and signed off on the proposal that was made to the Russians, said Blinken.

He declined to offer details about the proposal but CNN reported earlier that the Biden administration offered to swap convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout for the two Americans. Bout is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence and the Justice Department has voiced opposition to the potential exchange.

Blinken did not specify when he would be speaking with Lavrov other than to note it would be in the "coming days."