Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Lavrov on Thursday said Moscow has not yet accepted the terms of a proposed prisoner swap that would see WNBA star Brittney Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan freed in exchange for a Russian arms dealer held in an American prison.
The proposed deal had been alluded to by multiple US officials on Wednesday, including by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, both of whom characterised the offer as “substantial”. Mr Blinken also told reporters he hoped to raise the issue of Ms Griner and Mr Whelan in talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “in the coming days”.
