We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.
Transcript/ScriptUS-Russia-Detainees
HEADLINE: US Risks High Stakes Public Diplomacy to Get Griner, Whelan Freed from Russian Jails
TEASER: Top U.S. officials have confirmed that they have offered Russia a “substantial proposal” to release wrongfully detained Americans Britney Griner and Paul Whelan.
PUBLISHED AT: 7/28/2022 at 12:30
BYLINE: Cindy Saine
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER: Skype, see feeds.
PRODUCER: Henry Hernandez
SCRIPT EDITORS: Newhouse, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Saine Skype Video interview, AFP, Reuters, AP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:15
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States has offered Russia a "substantial proposal" to free detained American basketball star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a rare appearance in the State Department briefing room Wednesday to announce a new proposal in a high-profile case involving the two Americans detained in Russia.
((Antony Blinken, Secretary of State))
“In the coming days I expect to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov for the first time since the war began. I plan to raise an issue that's a top priority for us, the release of Americans Paul Whelan, and Brittney Griner who have been wrongfully detained and must be allowed to come home. We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate their release.”
((NARRATOR))
Brittney Griner made a court appearance Wednesday in a Moscow suburb court. The two-time Olympic basketball gold medalist and Women's NBA champion had played in Russia and was detained in February. She was charged with drug smuggling for possessing cartridges containing cannabis oil. Griner pled guilty and faces up to 10 years in a Russian prison.
After the appearance, her lawyers said Griner did not mean to bring cannabis oil into Russia and traveled there despite U.S. travel warnings so that she would not let her Russian teammates down. She was detained just days before Russia invaded Ukraine.
((Paul Whelan, Former U.S. Marine))
“I am innocent of any charge resulting from this potential kidnapping…”
((NARRATOR)) Paul Whelan, a security official at an auto parts company, was arrested in Moscow in December 2018. In 2020, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for espionage, which he strongly denies.
The White House confirmed the proposal to Moscow to free Griner and Whelan but declined to provide details.
((John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator)
"But I will say that the president and his team are willing to take extraordinary steps to bring our people home, as we’ve demonstrated with Trevor Reid, and that's what we're doing right here. It's actively happening now.”
((NARRATOR))
CNN and other news agencies report that the United States has offered to swap Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms smuggler.
A high-profile swap of this nature is risky, but the Biden administration has come under significant pressure to bring Griner and Whelan back home, an expert tells VOA.
[[Radio Intro: Jonathan Katz is a Senior Fellow and Director of Democracy Initiatives at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.]]
((Jonathan Katz, The German Marshall Fund))
((Mandatory Skype Video Courtesy))
“And of course, you have public figures, including sports [figures] and athletes that are recognizable globally calling for the return of Griner. It’s really it can put a lot of pressure.”
((NARRATOR))
In April, the United States exchanged former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed for convicted Russian drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko. Katz said despite the risk of setting a bad precedent that could encourage future detentions by rogue governments, the United States takes very seriously its obligation to protect Americans wrongfully detained abroad.
Cindy Saine, VOA News
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJuly 28, 2022 18:44 EDT
BylineCindy Saine, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
