Alejandro Avila
Videos by OutKick
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday that the Biden administration will propose a “significant” offer to retrieve WNBA star Brittney Griner and American corporate executive Paul Whelan from the Russian government’s control.
Looking ahead to a scheduled meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Blinken emphasized that the U.S. will go all-in on bringing Griner and Whelan home, which may also include sending a notorious arms dealer back to Russia.
“In the coming days, I expect to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov for the first time since the war began. I plan to raise an issue that’s a top priority for us. The release of Americans Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner, who’ve been wrongfully detained and must be allowed to come home,” Blinken announced on Wednesday via Fox Digital’s Paulina Dedaj.
BIDEN IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO BRING BACK WNBA STAR BRITTNEY GRINER, SAYS FORMER MARINE
The Russian arms dealer in question is Viktor Bout, known as “The Merchant of Death,” who is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S.
Bout was convicted of conspiracy in 2011 for his involvement in plotting to kill US citizens. As of current reporting, no details have been released on the potential trade scenario.
The Russian government has been persistent with retrieving Bout since Blinken’s initial talks with Foreign Minister Lavrov back in February when Griner was first detained for smuggling THC cartridges into a Russian airport.
“We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release,” Blinken added. “Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal. And I’ll use the conversation to follow up personally and I hope move toward a resolution.”
News of the U.S.’ ramped-up activity in retrieving Griner and Whelan also comes after a day after ex-Marine Trevor Reed joined NBC to call out the Biden administration for its limp effort with bringing the two Americans home
Reed, an American previously detained by the Russian government, shared that the White House could very well strongarm Russia into giving back Griner and Whelan.
Instead, Biden appears to be succumbing to the Russians’ demand to send Bout back to Russia. Griner pleaded guilty to the drug charges and could face 10 years in prison as a result.
Stay tuned with OutKick as the story develops.
Watch the documentary on how the US finally caught this merchant of death. These better be two significant people to give up this guy.
Yet won’t lift a finger to control the invasion of third world hoards at our southern border really pathetic how did we allow ourselves to get in this pickle smfh
Giving up an individual that broke their law and hates America for a terrorist that wants to kill Americans….wtf? Who in their right mind would go to Russia, much less bring marijuana there. And we have to give up a terrorist to save this American hating fool.
Insane.
Totally agree
What’s going to stop other countries from detaining Americans and offer a prisoner swap?
OH HELL NAWW!!! I called this shit about 15 minutes after Griners was arrested.. my “right-wing-conspiracy channels” have been screaming that the USSR (AKA:Russia), “kidnapped” her to get some oligarch arms dealer back in negotiations – it’s NOT this Bout dude, but someone else and I can’t remember — and no search engine will tell me…
Anyway,this means the DeepState and the Tech-giants have shut down the search on his name, so when Biden gives him up to get back this Griners-chick it will look like Biden got “something for nothing,” which will be total BS – Biden has to give up this oligarch or get nothing — and Russia agreed to say NOTHING, because an empowered Joe Biden makes the USSR/Russia STRONGER!
So we’re trading a guy who wants to kill US citizens for someone who hates US citizens. Thanks, but I’d rather keep “The Merchant of Death” and Russia can have Griner