[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] An American female basketball player who was imprisoned in Russia has been freed after 10 months. The Joe Biden administration succeeded in bringing her back by exchanging her for a notorious Russian arms dealer serving time in the United States.
◆ Freed American Basketball Star... Exchanged for Detained Russian Arms Dealer
On the 8th (local time), President Biden announced that WNBA star Brittney Griner was on a plane from Russia to the United States and would return "within 24 hours." He said, "We have been working toward this day for a long time. It was a difficult and intense negotiation," and expressed gratitude to the administration staff who tirelessly worked for her release.
However, instead of simply bringing Griner back, the U.S. sent Russian national arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is serving time in the U.S., back to Russia. Known as the "Merchant of Death," Bout was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2012 in the U.S. for charges including conspiracy to kill Americans and illegal sales of weapons worth millions of dollars. The Russian Foreign Ministry also confirmed in a statement that Bout, imprisoned in the U.S., and Griner, who was in Russia, were exchanged.
The exchange took place at Abu Dhabi Airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the same day. Russian state media released footage showing Griner and Bout briefly passing each other on the airport runway as they transitioned from prisoners to free individuals. A military official told the Washington Post (WP) that Griner would receive medical treatment and meet her family immediately after arriving in San Antonio.
Griner, who plays for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and was active on a Russian team during the offseason, was arrested in February this year upon entering Russia after her vacation on charges of drug smuggling. She claimed that she had legally been prescribed medical marijuana for a chronic illness and that she accidentally packed it without intending to break the law. However, the Russian court sentenced her to nine years in prison in August this year.
Paul Whelan, an American who was also part of the exchange discussions, remains imprisoned in Russia. On the same day, President Biden emphasized that he would not give up on securing Whelan's release. He said, "Russia is treating the Whelan and Griner cases differently," but added, "We will not give up and will continue negotiations."
Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and corporate security director, was arrested on espionage charges, unlike Griner, which reportedly led Russia to reject U.S. proposals. Whelan's legal team told the WP, "We are angry about this decision. We do not know the exact reason why he was not released," but added, "He is probably considered too valuable to exchange, so they decided to keep him imprisoned longer."
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated at a briefing that the exclusion of Whelan was "not something we could choose," explaining, "It was a choice between bringing home one American or none at all." During the discussions, Russia insisted that the only way to send Griner back to the U.S. was to release Bout. The U.S. also tried various alternatives but ultimately failed, she explained.
◆ Concerns Over Setting a "Bad Precedent"... Republicans Call It a "Gift to Putin"
Criticism has also followed the U.S. decision to return Bout through an exchange. Bout is notorious as an arms dealer deeply involved in arms trafficking in conflict zones such as Afghanistan and Africa. Therefore, the decision to exchange a basketball star who made a minor mistake for a notorious arms dealer has raised concerns that it could set a bad precedent in the future.
The New York Times (NYT) described Bout as "the most famous Russian detained in the U.S." and said, "The U.S. decision to release Bout represents a significant compromise. The U.S. agreed to the exchange even though Whelan was not included." Citing experts, the outlet evaluated that this decision shows that Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, can achieve his strategy of taking hostages, inflicting pain, and then gaining concessions.
Criticism has poured in from the political sphere, especially from the Republican Party. Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, called it a "gift to Putin" and said it "endangers the lives of Americans." Former President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social that it was "really stupid and unpatriotic shame from the U.S. perspective." On the other hand, former President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi welcomed Griner's release and supported the Biden administration.
Bout has already arrived in Russia. In a video released by Russian state TV on the day, he was seen shedding tears and telling his mother, who came to greet him at the airport, "Don't worry. Everything is fine." Bout's mother, Laiza Bout, said, "Thanks to President Putin."
Major foreign media cited a joint statement from the UAE and Saudi Arabia mentioning that the two countries played a mediating role in the exchange. They also evaluated that this indicates the growing influence of Middle Eastern countries in mediating between Russia and the rest of the world. Prior to the exchange, President Putin had a phone call with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan the day before. However, it is unclear whether related discussions took place during this call. The Kremlin statement mentioned that talks on trade and economic cooperation were held.
Regarding this, spokesperson Jean-Pierre drew a line, stating that the negotiations were conducted solely between the U.S. and Russian governments and that there was no mediation. She dismissed it by saying, "We thank the UAE for providing the exchange location."
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