MOSCOW: The United States and Russia are discussing the release of basketball star Brittney Griner and ex-marine Paul Whelan through special channels, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on Monday, citing a top US diplomat.
Elizabeth Rood, charge d’affaires of the US embassy in Russia, was quoted as saying that the United States had submitted a serious proposal for consideration but it had not received a “serious response” back from Russia.
Russia and the United States have been discussing a deal that could see Griner, who is facing nine years in jail in Russia on drug charges, return to the United States in exchange for convicted Russian weapons trafficker Viktor Bout.
No deal has materialized amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
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US and Russia discuss release of Griner and Whelan — RIA
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US and Russia discuss release of Griner and Whelan — RIA
- Russia and the US have been discussing a deal that could see the basketball star in exchange for convicted weapons trafficker Viktor Bout
Australia rules out repatriating citizens from Syrian camp
- “We have a very firm view that we won’t be providing assistance or repatriation,” Albanese told ABC News
SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday his government would not repatriate Australians living in a Syrian camp that holds families of suspected Daesh militants.
“We have a very firm view that we won’t be providing assistance or repatriation,” Albanese told ABC News.
Thirty-four Australians released on Monday from a camp in northern Syria were returned to the detention center due to “technical reasons,” two sources told Reuters.
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