Categories: World & Africa

Donald Trump on Brittney Griner’s one-for-one prisoner swap deal for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout

Donald Trump has blasted the Biden administration following the release from Russia of Brittney Griner who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges. She was released Thursday in a one-for-one prisoner swap for notorious international arms dealer Viktor Bout, bringing an end to an ordeal that sparked intense high-level negotiations between Washington and the Moscow to secure her freedom.

To secure Griner’s release, the president ordered that Bout be freed and returned to Russia. Mr. Biden signed the commutation order cutting short Bout’s 25-year federal prison sentence.

Notably, the Griner-for-Bout exchange left retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan imprisoned in Russia. Whelan has been in Russian custody for nearly four years. He was convicted on espionage charges that the U.S. has called false.

“We’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan,” Mr. Biden said Thursday, adding “we will never give up” on securing his release.

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Published by
Nyoni Peter

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