WASHINGTON Dec 20 the topic of the release of the American Whelan, White House spokesman John Kirby said at a briefing.
«We are continuing active discussions with Russian interlocutors in an attempt to secure the release of Paul (Whelan),” Kirby said, without giving details.
Whelan was detained in Moscow in late 2018 at a time, as reported by the FSB, spy action. The defense claims that the American was the victim of a provocation: he was given a flash card, on which he allegedly expected to see a photo from a tourist trip to Sergiev Posad. The defendant himself in the last word said that he was not engaged in espionage. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison
Whelan and his family are counting on his return to the United States on an exchange, but he was not included in the exchange of Russian Viktor Bout for American basketball player Brittney Griner, which took place earlier in December
Bout was released from a US prison after almost 15 years on charges of plotting to kill US citizens and materially support terrorism.Bout denied all charges. Greiner was detained in February 2022 at Sheremetyevo Airport and sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling.