UNITED STATES Alongside Griner-Bout swap, Russians demanded release of man convicted of murder
Paul Whelan, in 2020 in Moscow — Sofia Sandurskaya/AP/SIPA
US negotiators understood “last week” that there was “no chance” to achieve release Paul Whelan along with Brittney Griner. To grant the release of the former Marine, Moscow wanted to release a Russian, detained in Germany for the murder of a Chechen opponent, said the Russian. White House spokesman John Kirby on Sunday.
“They seemed to want a man, Mr Krasikov, who is being held in Germany,” during an interview with ABC. “He’s a murderer” and the offer had not been considered “serious,” he continued. Since this man is not being held on US soil, “how could we get involved?” John Kirby.
Execution in a park
Vadim Krasikov had been condemned last year at life imprisonment perpetuity for the murder in a Berlin park of a Chechen opponent who, according to German justice, had been general partner by Moscow.
If Brittney Griner, American basketball star imprisoned in Russia for months for having transported a small amount from liquid to cannabis oil base has finally been Exchanged Thursday for the Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, Paul Whelan remained. behind bars. He said he was “strongly disappointed”.
Moscow approached his case in “totally separate” to cause “the bogus espionage charges against him,” John Kirby. “We have an ongoing and open dialogue with the Russians,” Roger Carstens, US envoy for hostage release, told CNN on Sunday.
He ensured to have spoken to Paul Whelan on Friday, promising him that the Biden administration would “bring him back to school. home”.