MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2022) Moscow is ready to discuss the exchange of US citizens Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner jailed in Russia with Washington, but the US embassy has so far failed to communicate with the host country via diplomatic channels, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday.
"We have repeatedly said that we are ready for negotiations concerning the destiny of the convicted US citizens in Russia and Russian nationals in the US ... but instead of carrying out its duties of maintaining contacts with the diplomats of the host country, the US embassy in Moscow is busy with staging 'mediamadness,'" Zakharova said on Telegram.
US President Joe Biden on Friday met with the families of US basketball player Griner and former US marine Whelan to reiterate Washington's commitment to bringing them home. Their families were not informed the details of Moscow's exchange requirements, however.
In late July, US media reported that Washington offered Moscow to exchange Russian citizen Viktor Bout in US custody for Griner and Whelan. Moscow has been reportedly looking for a fairer deal that would involve adding another jailed Russian national, Vadim Krasikov, in order to have a two-for-two exchange.
Griner was sentenced in Russia to nine years in jail and a fine of 1 million rubles ($16,576) in early August on charges of bringing drugs illegally into the country. She tried to bring vape cartridges with hashish oil in her luggage in February. The basketball player pleaded guilty but insisted that she did not intend to break the law.
Whelan is serving his prison sentence in Russia's Mordovia Region after a Moscow court sentenced him in June 2020 to 16 years on charges of espionage. He has denied the charges but did not challenge the verdict in the hope of being part of a potential prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia.
