The White House said it was ready to take extraordinary measures to free Greiner
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the United States is ready to take “extraordinary” measures to free basketball player Brittney Griner, who is in Russian custody. Her words lead RIA News.
She added that an offer was made to the Russian authorities, and the US administration is determined to continue intergovernmental discussions on the problem of prisoners. “With regard to Brittney Greiner, we intend to take extraordinary measures … to get her back home,” Jean-Pierre said, noting that Washington had put a “substantial offer” on the table.
According to Washington, the deal will lead to the return to their homeland of Greiner, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling, and another American, Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence for espionage. At the same time, the American authorities did not specify what Moscow would receive in return.
On August 4, the Khimki Court of the Moscow Region sentenced Greiner to nine years in a penal colony for smuggling hash oil. She was also fined 1 million rubles. Her lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, told the agency that the defense plans to file an appeal in the near future.
