San Antonio
CNN
—
Britney Griner, American basketball player star detained by Russian authorities in February returned safely to the US after being released from custody. in a prisoner exchange.
Griner, 32, “arrived at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, early Friday morning…and was taken to Brook Army Medical Center. for planned assessment, Department of State official told CNN.
US officials who met Griner said she was “in good perfume” and “incredibly gracious,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN. Griner stepped off plane shortly after 5:30 am ET at Kelly Field.
LIVE UPDATES: Britney Griner Freed, Russia’s War in Ukraine
“So happy that Britney back on US soil. Welcome home BG! tweeted Roger Carstens, Department of State official travel with Greener, Friday morning.
Griner’s release was secured after prisoner swap between the US and Russia, which included international arms dealer Victor Booth, who was arrested in 2008 in Thailand and extradited to the US in 2010.
The exchange took place on Thursday in Abu Dhabi, senior This was stated by representatives of the Biden administration. The joint statement of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia said that the Persian Gulf countries played role mediation in the exchange between the US and Russia.
is not sign of improvements in Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov spoke about relations between the United States and Russia on Friday.
Griner arrest And conviction played out against background of Russia invasion of Ukraine and added further attention to the plight of other Americans in Russia under guardianship, including Paul Whelan and Trevor Reid. Whelan’s release could not be secured in in latest prisoner exchange, and Reed returned to the US in April after almost threeyear ordeal.
Biden administration to continue talks with Russia will secure Whelan’s release, the report said Friday. Russians “have things they want in this is world”, and Moscow knows that eventually both sides will come to a “mutually acceptable agreement if they continue negotiations with usa senior administration official told CNN.
President Joe Biden said efforts to attract Greener home took “painstaking and intense negotiations”, as he thanked the members of his administration who were involved.
“This is the day we’ve been working on for for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her release,” he said on Thursday.
final deal closed over 48 hours, senior US administration officials said, launching the process of moving Griner from the penitentiary where she served a long term. Biden gave final OK for in prisoner swap frees griner over in past week, an official habitual with said the thing.
Booth is back home to Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. prisoner exchange with Griner was “completed successfully at Abu Dhabi airport on The ministry said on Thursday.
Griner family thanked Biden and his administration on Thursday in statement, and former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, whose Richardson Center operated on on behalf of of in family to help secure Griner’s release. They are also thanked for outpouring of public support they received.
“We sincerely thank you all for kind words, thoughts and prayers – including Paul and Whelan family who were generous with them support for Britney and our family during which we know this is a heartbreaking time,” the statement said.
“We pray for Gender and for fast and safe return of all illegally detained Americans.
As Griner’s return is hailed as a diplomatic achievement, officials and fans have expressed their disappointment to Whelan also couldn’t come home.
Citizen of the USA, Ireland, Great Britain and Canada Whelan detained in a Moscow hotel in December 2018 by Russian authorities who allegedly he was involved in reconnaissance operation. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage allegations, which he vehemently denied. The US State Department declared him wrongfully detained.
Russia handled the Whelan and Griner cases differently. on what each was accused of of- he said, and recently made it clear that he would only negotiate over Griner, like the Biden administration made offers to release Whelan as part of of this deal.
“It wasn’t a choice of which american to take home” Biden said on Thursday. “It’s sad for for completely wrong reasons, Russia treats Paul’s case differently than Britney’s. And so far we have not succeeded in seeking Paul’s release, we do not give up. We will never give up”.
Whelan was pleased to have Griner released but “disappointed” that the Biden administration did not. more to secure his release, he told CNN on Thursday by phone from the penitentiary. in a remote part of Russia.
“I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here,” he said.
The Biden administration has ideas about “new forms of suggests to try with the Russians are seeking the release of Whelan, senior administration official told CNN on Thursday. There’s a confession the US needs to make available “something more, something different from what they have offered so far, official said without deciding out Russian spy’s offer in custody in the USA in potential prisoner change.
“There is a willingness to pay even very big price on part of this president, official said.
Whelan family was happy that Griner led home but “devastated” he was left behind, said on Thursday. The Biden administration told Whelan family of her release ahead of Griner’s announcement Paul brother This was reported to CNN by David Whelan.
