Biden administration officials were finally allowed to meet with Brittney Griner, months after the WNBA star was wrongfully imprisoned in Russia.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling with President Joe Biden Thursday that State Department “officials in Moscow were able to visit” Griner earlier that day.
RUSSIAN COURT DENIES BRITTNEY GRINER’S APPEAL
“We are told she’s doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances,” she continued. “As we have said before, the U.S. government made a significant offer to the Russians to resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful detentions of American citizens Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.”
“I can also tell you that in the subsequent weeks, despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with Russians through all available channels,” Jean-Pierre continued. “This continues to be a top priority.”
Griner was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison earlier this year on drug-related charges after being detained shortly after the invasion of Ukraine.
A Russian court denied her appeal in late October, and the Biden administration has maintained that the Russian government has refused to cooperate with the United States to free her and Whelan, despite repeated good faith efforts from the Biden administration to broker their release. The Kremlin had previously indicated that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to meet with Biden directly to negotiate a deal.
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You can listen to Thursday’s full gaggle below.
