U.S.-Russia Brittney Griner & Paul Whelan Talks Still Underway But Moscow Stalling, Says Diplomat

The United States is still involved in talks with Russia about a deal to free WNBA star Brittney Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan though reiterated that  Moscow has not provided a "serious response" to any of its proposals, according to a U.S. diplomat in Russia.

Elizabeth Rood, the US chargée de affaires in Moscow, told Russia's state-owned RIA news agency on Monday that talks were ongoing through the a designated channel.

"The United States, as we have said, has put a significant proposal on the table. We have followed up on that proposal and we have proposed alternatives," Rood said. "Unfortunately, so far the Russian Federation has not provided a serious response to those proposals."

Griner was moved to a penal colony earlier this month where she is meant to serve a nine-year sentence for having inadvertently carried less than a gram of cannabis oil in her suitcase when traveling to Moscow to finish her 7th season with a Russian basketball team. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was detained on Feb. 17, just one week before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Whelan is serving 16 years in the same region on charges of espionage, which he denies.

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Prisoner Swap Still In The Works?

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Nov. 18 that the prospect of a prisoner exchange for Griner’s release had “strengthened” and would likely involve convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who has been serving a 25-year prison sentence in the U.S since 2012. 

"I want to hope that the prospect not only remains but is being strengthened and that the moment will come when we will get a concrete agreement,"  Ryabkok said at the time. "The Americans are showing some external activity, we are working professionally through a special channel designed for this. Viktor Bout is among those who are being discussed, and we certainly count on a positive result."

Ukraine-Russia Movement?

In the RIA interview, Rood also hinted at the possibility of a follow-up to a meeting between CIA Director William Burns and Russian foreign intelligence chief Sergei Naryshkin in Istanbul two weeks ago - the first publicly announced face-to-face meeting between top US and Russian officials since the invasion of Ukraine in February. The two men reportedly talked about the consequences of nuclear weapons.

“The United States has channels for managing risk with the Russian Federation, particularly nuclear risks, and that was the purpose of CIA director Burns’ meeting with his Russian counterpart," Rood said.

"Director Burns did not negotiate anything and he did not discuss a settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. I’m sure if there’s a need for another conversation in that channel, it can happen. There’s not anything scheduled that I know of."