The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the possible exchange of Viktor Bout for basketball player Greiner

Official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova said that the specific outcome of the issue of the exchange of Russian Viktor Bout for US representatives Paul Whelan and a basketball player Britney Griner until it is reached.

On July 27, the American television network CNN reported that American President Joe Biden supported the plan to exchange Bout for Whelan and Griner.

– The issue of mutual exchange of Russian and American citizens in places of detention on the territory of both countries has already been discussed by the Presidents of Russia and the United States. They gave instructions to the competent competent structures to carry out the negotiations. They are maintained by the competent services. A concrete result has not yet been achieved.

At the same time, we proceed from the fact that the interests of both parties must be taken into account during the negotiation process, ”quotes the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zakharova in Telegram.

Bout was arrested in 2008 and charged with conspiring to kill US citizens and providing material support for terrorism. In 2012, a jury in New York found him guilty, the judge imposed a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Booth denies all the allegations. Whelan is sentenced in Russia to 16 years in prison for espionage.

Greiner was arrested in February on suspicion of trying to illegally import hash oil through Sheremetyevo airport, and a criminal case was opened for drug trafficking. Greiner faces a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years. The trial continues, the next meeting is scheduled for August 2. Greiner has been a player for the Russian club UMMC since 2015, she won the Olympics twice as part of the American team (2016, 2020).