Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. had “put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago” to secure the release of the U.S. National anthem boycotter Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan:
“In the coming days, I expect to speak with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov for the first time since the war began,” the secretary said. “I plan to raise an issue that’s a top priority for us: the release of Americans Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner who are wrongfully detained and must be allowed to come home. We put a substantial proposal on the table … to facilitate their release.”
