The families of Whelan, who has been held by Russia for alleged espionage since 2018, and WNBA star Griner, jailed in Moscow for drug possession since February, have urged the White House to secure their release, including via a prisoner exchange if necessary. 'So in some ways, it's not surprising, even if it's disheartening, when those same actors don't necessarily respond directly to our offers, don't engage constructively in negotiations.' We start all of these with somebody who has taken a human being American and treated them as a bargaining chip,' the official said. We start all negotiations to bring home Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained with a bad actor on the other side. The official declined to comment on the specifics of the 'substantial offer.' They said it was in Russia's 'court to be responsive to it, yet at the same time that does not leave us passive, as we continue to communicate the offer at very senior levels.' 'We communicated that a number of weeks ago, in June.' 'We communicated a substantial offer that we believe could be successful based on a history of conversations with the Russians,' a senior administration official told CNN Wednesday. Biden's support for the swap overrides opposition from the Department of Justice, which is generally against prisoner trades.

These sources told CNN that the plan to trade Bout for Whelan and Griner received the backing of President Joe Biden after being under discussion since earlier this year. By Kylie Atwood, Evan Perez and Jennifer Hansler, CNNĬNN - 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, Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, according to people briefed on the matter.

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