The US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, says Washington still expects rapid talks between Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The goal is to discuss a potential exchange involving American detainees Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan for Russian businessman Viktor Bout. Moscow has already indicated it has received the request for negotiations.
Price added that the White House hopes the meeting could take place soon. He stressed that the planned discussions would not directly address the broader Ukraine crisis or the general state of US-Russia relations. Instead, the focus would be on the cases of detained Americans in Russia, the continuation of the trade framework agreed in Istanbul, and Russia’s role in facilitating Ukrainian grain exports from Black Sea ports. An additional aim is to remind Russia about not advancing actions in territory liberated during Russia’s military campaign.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented on Washington’s request for a Blinken-Lavrov session. Lavrov will consider the proposal when the timing suits him. She noted an active schedule of international engagements, including bilateral meetings at the SCO Council of Ministers gathering in Tashkent.
Moscow pause
Since Blinken floated the idea of swapping Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, roughly a day passed with no agreement announced. The window for negotiations remained open, but no deal was disclosed during that period.
On the afternoon of July 28, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he would not comment on the prospects of any swap, but he acknowledged awareness of media reports. He cautioned that such leaks can surface before any decisions are finalized, and he warned against drawing conclusions from early information.
Earlier, on July 27, Peskov refused to discuss the prisoner exchange matter. Zakharova reiterated on July 28 that there were no concrete results yet, while emphasizing that the interests of both sides should guide the negotiation process. She recalled that the presidents of Russia and the United States had previously instructed authorities to pursue talks, with operations carried out by authorized units. No specific outcome had been reached at that time.
Who would be traded
Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman arrested in Thailand in 2008 and later extradited to the United States in 2010, is currently detained in the United States. In 2012, a New York court convicted him on arms trafficking charges that included conspiracy to kill American nationals, conspiracy to sell missiles, and aiding terrorism through cooperation with the FARC in Colombia. The prosecution pressed for a life sentence, but the final judgment awarded 25 years in prison for a range of offenses.
Since the verdict, several efforts have been made to secure Bout’s release, including attempts under the 1983 Soviet-American Transfer of Sentenced Persons treaty and various appeals by his defense team. In the absence of compelling reasons for release, Bout’s projected release date remains in 2029, subject to ongoing diplomatic negotiations and legal processes.
Britney Griner, an American basketball player, was detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after a service animal alert and the discovery of banned items, including substances prohibited under Russian law. She faced charges under the Russian Criminal Code for drug offenses. In a July hearing in Khimki, Griner testified that she used medical marijuana with physician approval and had no intention of breaking Russian law.
Paul Whelan, a US citizen employed by BorgWarner, was detained in a hotel room at the Metropol in 2018, where investigators found items and a card listing sensitive contacts. He faced espionage charges that carried a possible sentence of up to 20 years. In June 2020, the Moscow City Court sentenced Whelan to 16 years in a strict-regime penal colony on those charges.
All parties have signaled an interest in resolving these cases through dialogue, aiming to address legal and humanitarian concerns within the framework of international diplomacy. The discussions continue to be described as delicate and high-stakes, with diplomats emphasizing that any agreement must be rooted in legal processes and mutual assurances.