Russia’s Lavrov says will propose time for call with US on prisoners exchange

TASHKENT, 30 July 2022, (TON): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said “Moscow would soon propose a time for a call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in which Blinken has said he wants to discuss an exchange of prisoners held in Russian and US jails.”

Blinken said “Washington had made a substantial offer to obtain the release of US basketball star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan, both detained in Russia.”

A source said “Washington was willing to exchange convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout, jailed in the United States, as part of such a deal.”

Blinken and Biden have not spoken since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Families of the US detainees have been increasing pressure on President Joe Biden, most recently in the case of two-time Olympic gold medallist Griner, who was arrested on drugs charges at a Moscow airport on Feb. 17.

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