Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, both considered by the U.S. government to be “wrongfully detained” in Russia, could be home by the end of the calendar year, according to former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson.
Richardson, who has long been an advocate for Americans wrongfully detained abroad, has traveled to Russia to advocate their release. A spokesperson for the Richardson Center previously said both families had asked for help.
“I am cautiously optimistic on the Greiner-[Whelan] negotiations,” Richardson said on CNN on Sunday, adding that he expects “it’s going to be a 2-for-2 deal.” He also said, “I do think so,” when asked if Griner and Whelan could return home before the end of the year, though he later added he was “just giving you my assessment after two visits to Russia on behalf of American hostages.”
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Richardson added that while in Moscow, he had met with “senior Russian officials, individuals close to President [Vladimir] Putin,” though he declined to specify whom he met with there.
Griner was convicted on Aug. 4 after pleading guilty to drug charges for bringing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage through a Moscow airport. Her appeal will begin on Oct. 25. During her original trial, she admitted to bringing the cartridges, though she said it was an accident. She was sentenced to 9 years in prison, close to the maximum she faced of a 10-year sentence.
Whelan is serving a 16-year prison sentence on espionage-related charges that he and his family vehemently deny. He has been held since late 2018.
Facing growing public pressure to get Griner back, the State Department revealed in July that the administration had made a “substantial proposal” to get them home, though they declined to provide specifics on the offer.
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It’s been widely reported that their proposal included the release of convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout, who has been nicknamed the “Merchant of Death” for allegedly selling arms to sanctioned human rights abusers in various African nations. Russia has also sought the inclusion of Vadim Krasikov, a former colonel from the country’s domestic spy agency who was convicted of murdering a former Chechen fighter in Germany in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, in a prisoner exchange, according to CNN.
Richardson did not say who he thought would be included in a prisoner exchange.
