Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was ready to discuss prisoner exchanges with the United States. According to him, a special channel, which Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden had previously agreed on, will be used for this.
“There is a special channel, which is agreed upon by the presidents, and no matter what anyone says in public, this channel remains relevant. If the Americans decide to resort to public diplomacy again and make loud announcements, statements that they are now going to take such and such steps, this is their business, their problem, ”Lavrov said at a press conference in Phnom Penh.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov spoke about this channel earlier. According to him, it was agreed upon in Geneva last July.
On August 4, the Khimki City Court found American basketball player Brittney Griner guilty of drug smuggling and sentenced her to 9 years in a penal colony. Joe Biden called the verdict unacceptable and stressed that Washington would do everything possible to return Greiner, as well as Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in Russia for espionage, home safe and sound as soon as possible.
Earlier, the United States offered to exchange Russian Viktor Bout, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for illegal arms trafficking, for Greiner and Whelan.