Biden administration offers Russian arms dealer in exchange for Brittney Griner
Griner could face a sentence for drug possession before next week
After months of internal debate, the Biden administration has offered to exchange Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year US prison sentence, as part of a potential deal to secure the release of two Americans held by Russia, WNBA star Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, held in Russia since 2018 for alleged espionage
CNN reports that this plan has been backed by US President Joe Biden. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that the US presented a “substantial proposal” to Moscow “weeks ago” for Whelan and Griner, who are classified as wrongfully detained.