WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th January, 2023) The United States is committed to continue to work to negotiate the release of US citizen Paul Whelan from Russia, former US Ambassador Bill Richardson's office told Sputnik.
The office confirmed that Richardson helped negotiate the release of US Navy veteran Taylor Dudley from Russian custody. Dudley was released earlier on Thursday.
"We remain very concerned for Paul Whelan and committed to continue to work on his safe return, as we have been for the last four years, as well as other Americans," Richardson said in a statement his office provided to Sputnik.
The Russian authorities arrested Paul Whelan in December 2018 and a Moscow court sentenced him to 16 years in prison on charges of espionage. Whelan, who is also a citizen of Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom, has maintained that he is innocent and insisted that he arrived in Russia for a friend's wedding.
