U.S. State Dept. on Brittney Griner: Russia Won’t ‘Seriously Negotiate’

The U.S. sent a strong message to Russia after the WNBA star was transferred to a penal colony earlier this week.

After WNBA star Brittney Griner was transferred to a Russian penal colony in the country’s Mordovia region earlier this week, the U.S. Department of State released a statement criticizing Russia’s unwillingness to “seriously negotiate” a prisoner swap for Griner and fellow American Paul Whelan.

“We are not going to comment on the specifics of any proposals other than to say that we have made a substantial offer that the Russian Federation has consistently failed to negotiate in good faith,” the statement, shared to ESPN’s T.J. Quinn, began. “The U.S. Government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russian government. The Russian government’s failure to seriously negotiate on these issues in the established channel or any other channel for that matter runs counter to its public statements.”

The statement was made in response to Russian media reports that Sergei Ryabkov, the country’s minister for foreign affairs, had expressed optimism in a swap taking place, according to Quinn. 

Griner’s legal team confirmed to Sports Illustrated earlier this week that the basketball star was indeed transferred to penal colony IK-2 in Mordovia and that she was “doing as well as could be expected and trying to stay strong as she adapts to a new environment.”

Griner was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony by a Russian court in August after she pleaded guilty to drug charges stemming from a February arrest at an airport near Moscow. The arrest was made after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil allegedly were found in her luggage.

The United States and Russia have reportedly discussed a prisoner swap where the Americans would receive Griner and former U.S. marine Paul Whelan, who was convicted of espionage in a Russian court and sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony. Like Griner, Whelan is serving his sentence in the Mordovia region.

The prisoner swap would require the U.S. to send Russia back convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout. While discussions have been held between the U.S. and Russia, there is no indication that a deal is close to materializing.