Any discussion of the Brittney Griner swap should be kept confidential

MOSCOW (AP) — On Wednesday, the Kremlin left the door open to talks about a possible trade involving jailed U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, but reiterated that such talks must be kept strictly confidential.

A Russian court on Tuesday rejected Griner’s appeal against his nine-year prison sentence for drug possession. The eight-time all-star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and two-time Olympic gold medalist was sentenced Aug. 4 after police said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in his luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow.

When asked if Griner could be freed in a prisoner swap with Washington, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with reporters that “we always say that any contact concerning possible exchanges can only be carried out in silence under a tight cover on any information”. .”

Griner’s arrest in February came at a time of heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington, just days before Russia sent troops to Ukraine. At the time, Griner was returning to play for a Russian team during the WNBA offseason.

President Joe Biden told reporters that his administration is in “constant contact” with Russian authorities on Griner and other Americans held there. Although there has been no progress in bringing her back to the United States, Biden said, “We’re not stopping.”

At her trial, Griner admitted to having the canisters in her luggage, but testified that she had inadvertently packed them in her haste to catch her flight and that she had no criminal intent. His defense team presented written statements saying he was prescribed cannabis to treat chronic pain.

Prior to her sentencing, the US State Department declared Griner “wrongfully detained” – a charge Russia has firmly denied.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement that Biden “stands ready to make extraordinary efforts and tough decisions to bring Americans home.”

In July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an unusual move that Washington had made a “substantial offer” to Moscow to bring Griner home, along with Paul Whelan, an American serving a 16-year sentence in Russia for spying.

He didn’t give details, but The Associated Press and other news outlets reported that Washington had offered to trade Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who is serving a 25-year sentence. in the United States and who once earned the nickname “merchant of death”.

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