Griner found guilty of drug charges by Russian court
"It's a serious proposal. We urge them to accept it. They should have accepted it weeks ago when we first made it," said White House national security spokesperson John Kirby.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Friday that Moscow is ready to discuss prisoner exchanges with Washington through an existing diplomatic channel.
"We are ready to discuss this topic, but within the framework of the channel that was agreed upon by Presidents Putin and Biden," Lavrov said.
Washington offered to exchange Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25 year prison sentence in the United States, for Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, sources familiar with the situation have told Reuters. Russia had tried to add convicted murderer Vadim Krasikov, who is in prison in Germany, to the proposed swap, a source familiar with the proceedings also told Reuters.
When asked on Thursday if Washington would be willing to reconsider Russia's request following Griner's sentencing, Kirby dismissed it: "I don't think we go so far as to even call it a counter-offer."
Whelan, who holds American, British, Canadian and Irish passports, was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in jail in Russia after being convicted of spying.
President Joe Biden has come under increasing pressure from families of Americans detained abroad to help bring them home. He is "receiving regular updates" about negotiations for the release of Griner, Whelan and others deemed wrongfully detained, said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke on the phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last Friday and pressed Russia to take the deal. Kirby said that since then conversations had been ongoing at various levels.
Griner pleaded with a Russian judge earlier on Thursday not to "end her life" with a harsh prison sentence for bringing in vape cartridges containing hashish oil, before breaking down in tears in court. In the ruling, the court said that Griner committed the crime "deliberately", despite the defendant having said that it was an "honest mistake".
The Russian prosecutor called for Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) star, to be sentenced to nine-and-a-half years prison if she is found guilty of bringing illegal drugs to Russia.
This was confirmed later as a nine-year sentence.
The court also fined her 1 million roubles ($16,990).
Griner's defence said on Thursday that they will file an appeal on behalf of the U.S. basketball star who was jailed for nine years by a Russian court on drugs charges.
Her defence team said that in sentencing the court had ignored all evidence they had presented as well as Griner's guilty plea. They said they were "disappointed" by the verdict.
A handcuffed Brittney Griner said "I love my family" as the US. basketball star was led out of a Russian courtroom after being jailed.
The reaction from the verdict was quick to surface. US President Joe Biden said that the sentencing of basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison on drugs charges in Russia was "unacceptable" and called on Moscow to release her immediately.
"Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney," Biden said a statement.
"It's unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates."
The White House national security spokesperson John Kirby added that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will likely try to speak with his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of a meeting in Cambodia.
"I have no doubt that if he has an opportunity to buttonhole Mr Lavrov, he will do so. And if he doesn't, if it doesn't just happen organically, I'm sure Secretary Blinken will reach out and have that communication," Kirby told MSNBC.
When the verdict and sentence were delivered, Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov were both attending an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gala dinner in Cambodia.
Whilst in Moscow, Chargé d'affaires of the US embassy, Elizabeth Rood, said on Thursday that the 9 year prison sentence given to U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner had been "a miscarriage of justice".
Rood was speaking outside the courtroom where Griner was found guilty.
On social media, there was an outpouring of emotion with former teammates of 'BG' as well as governing bodies writing in solidarity of the WNBA star.
USA Basketball said: "We continue to support BG however we can and remain engaged with the US State Department as it works diligently to being her home. The bravery Brittney is demonstrating in the face of these unimaginable circumstances speaks to the person she is and the strength she possesses.
"We will not be satisfied until BG is back in the US and reunited with her loved ones, teammates and fans."
