Former US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson predicted on Sunday that US citizens Paul Whelan and Brittney Greener, who are imprisoned in Russia, will be released in a two-for-two prisoner swap with Moscow.
“I am an optimist. I think she’ll be free,” Richardson said of WNBA star Greener on ABC’s “This Week.”
“However, there will be a prisoner swap and I think it will be two on two, involving Paul Whelan. We cannot forget it.”
Griner was sentenced last week to nine years in prison for drug possession and trafficking after pleading guilty to drug possession charges. Whelan, a former US Marine, was sentenced to three years of a 16-year sentence on espionage charges, which he and the US deny.
Richardson dodged questions about whether faculty member Mark Vogel, who is facing 14 years for drug possession and trafficking, would also be included in the exchange talks.
“All those wrongfully detained should go home,” Richardson said.
He added that his foundation, The Richardson Center, was involved in negotiations for the release of three other Americans held by Russia, but that he was the “catalyst” for what would eventually be a government-to-government deal.
The Biden administration reportedly floated a potential prisoner swap last month in which Griner and Whelan would be released in exchange for convicted Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout. Officials have publicly confirmed that they have offered a trade, but have not specifically said whether it involves Booth.
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President Biden on Friday said he was “hopeful” about Greener’s situation, although White House officials declined to say whether there were specific developments that made him feel that way.
On Sunday, Richardson congratulated Biden for considering the trade with Booth, though he said “I would have done it quietly.”
“Our goal should be, despite the unpopular prisoner exchange, to bring the American hostages home. Some of these prisoner exchanges are not good. The optics are not good. But sometimes we have to,” he said.
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