The family of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, detained in Moscow since 2018, has assured that his release is a high priority for U.S. President Joe Biden after former President Donald Trump criticized the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Whelan’s sister has held a meeting with White House staff who would have conveyed to the ex-Marine’s family confidence.
«The announcement of imminent talks with the Russian Federation is also positive news,» family members have indicated. «These initial steps give us hope that the third time is the charm,» they have maintained.
Trump criticized this weekend the Biden Administration’s decision to release Viktor Bout in a prisoner swap that included the release of professional basketball player Brittney Griner, jailed for 10 months on drug trafficking charges when cannabis oil was found on him during a search at the Moscow airport.
The former president said that during his time in the White House he did not agree to release Bout, in 2018, in exchange for the former Marine, detained in Moscow for four years on charges of espionage.
«I turned down a deal with Russia on a one-for-one exchange of the so-called ‘Merchant of Death’ for Paul Whelan. I would not have made the deal for a hundred people in exchange for someone who has killed untold numbers of people with his arms deals,» Trump said.
The White House offered to swap the player and the former Marine — accused of espionage — for Bout. However, Whelan did not enter into the negotiations, since Moscow considers him to have a different status because of the accusations against him.
«Russia gave no other option, as it was put to us,» National Security Agency strategic communications officer John Kirby said Sunday. «There was only room to release Griner for Bout,» he explained in an interview with Fox News.
