Kremlin says 'so far, there is no agreement' on proposed US prisoner swap
By Chandelis Duster and Darya Tarasova, CNNUpdated: Thu, 28 Jul 2022 12:33:21 GMTSource: CNNThe Kremlin said Thursday that "so far, there is no agreement" on a possible offer by the US to release conv
By Chandelis Duster and Darya Tarasova, CNNUpdated: Thu, 28 Jul 2022 12:33:21 GMT
Source: CNN
The Kremlin said Thursday that "so far, there is no agreement" on a possible offer by the US to release convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout and secure the release of US citizens Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
"So far, there is no agreement on this issue," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said during a conference call with journalists when asked about the offer.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that he expected a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, his counterpart in the country, this week to discuss a "substantial proposal" presented to Moscow "weeks ago" to try to secure the release of Whelan and Griner, who are classified as wrongfully detained. Blinken told reporters he hopes that by speaking with Lavrov, "I can advance the efforts to bring them home."
Asked about Blinken's comments, Peskov said, "Well, look, since there are no agreements now that would be finalized, then, accordingly, I have nothing more to add to what has been said."
CNN previously reported that the plan to exchange Bout for Whelan and Griner received the backing of President Joe Biden after being under discussion since earlier this year, according to sources briefed on the matter. Biden's support for the swap overrides opposition from the Department of Justice, which is generally against prisoner trades.
Among senior Biden administration officials, the idea of prisoner swaps gained new momentum earlier this year after the successful release of Trevor Reed, a former Marine who was held captive in Russia for more than two years. Reed was traded for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot then serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for cocaine smuggling conspiracy.
A senior administration official suggested Moscow has not been responsive to the "substantial offer" first presented in June, telling CNN "it takes two to tango."
"We start all negotiations to bring home Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained with a bad actor on the other side. We start all of these with somebody who has taken a human being American and treated them as a bargaining chip," the official said. "So in some ways, it's not surprising, even if it's disheartening, when those same actors don't necessarily respond directly to our offers, don't engage constructively in negotiations.
The families of WNBA star Griner, jailed in Moscow for drug possession since February, and Whelan, who has been held by Russia for alleged espionage since 2018, have pleaded with the Biden administration to secure their release, including via a prisoner exchange if necessary.
A senior administration official spoke with the families prior to Blinken's announcement about the "substantial proposal," National Security Council Strategic Coordinator for Communications John Kirby said Wednesday. Biden recently spoke by phone with Griner's wife, Cherelle, and Whelan's sister, Elizabeth.
Griner, who pleaded guilty earlier this month but said she unintentionally brought cannabis into Russia, testified in a Russian courtroom Wednesday as part of her ongoing trial on drug charges, for which she faces up to 10 years in prison. It is understood that her trial will have to conclude prior to a deal being finalized, according to US officials familiar with the Russian judicial process and the inner workings of US-Russia negotiations.
