Russia said today that it is in talks with the United States on a prisoner exchange, but there is no agreement to exchange American basketball player Brittney Greiner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “so far there are no agreements in this area.”
The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, stated that talks on the exchange of prisoners have been held for some time but without any result.
He was responding to comments by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken that Washington had made Moscow a “serious offer” to secure the release of Greiner and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who is also being held in Russia.
“The issue of mutual exchange of Russian and American citizens detained on the territory of the two countries was once discussed by the presidents of Russia and the United States,” Zakharova said, apparently referring to discussions that took place before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“They instructed the relevant authorized structures to conduct negotiations. These are being carried out by the relevant departments. A tangible result has yet to be achieved.”
Negotiations should take into account the interests of both sides, he said.
Blinken said yesterday, Wednesday, that he would discuss the cases of Greiner and Whelan with his Russian counterpart in the coming days.
“When we discuss such issues, we do not carry out information attacks,” Peskov said in comments that appeared to show anger at Washington’s very open diplomacy on the issue.
Yesterday, a source familiar with the situation confirmed a CNN report that Washington is willing to exchange Russian arms dealer Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence in the US, as part of a deal.
Whelan’s Russian lawyer has previously said he believes Moscow wants Bout to be part of a swap with Whelan.
Greiner, who was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February with cartridges of inhalant cannabis oil in her luggage, was in court yesterday for the latest hearing in her trial on drug-related charges. The next hearing is set for August 2.
“From a legal point of view, an exchange is possible only after a court verdict,” Greiner’s lawyer in Russia, Maria Blagovolina, said in a statement.
Whelan was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison in Russia, accused of espionage. He denied the charges, saying he was involved in a sting operation.
Source: Capital
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