US announces in Cambodia that it will ‘pursue’ latest Russia offer to discuss Griner prisoner exchange

America will “pursue” Russia’s newest provide to debate on the presidential stage a prisoner swap involving detained basketball star Brittney Griner, Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned immediately.

“[Russian] Overseas Minister Lavrov mentioned this morning… that they’re ready to have interaction” on a swap for the detained American, Blinken mentioned at a international ministers’ assembly in Cambodia. “And we’ll be pursuing that.”

Moscow’s newest provide got here a day after the Phoenix Mercury participant was sentenced by a Russian courtroom to 9 years in a penal colony on a drug smuggling cost.

The arrest and sentencing highlighted Moscow’s “use of wrongful detentions to advance its personal agenda,” Blinken added, slamming using “people as political pawns”.

The decision and sentence had been broadly condemned in america as unjustified and sparked pressing requires the US authorities to convey Griner residence.

Griner’s trial accelerated in latest days as america and Russia mentioned a possible prisoner swap that might contain the basketball star.

The White Home urged Russia in a while Thursday to simply accept its provide of a deal for the discharge of Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who was imprisoned on espionage expenses.