Putin opens the door for additional prisoner swaps after Griner exchange

Russian President Vladimir Putin and WNBA star Brittney Griner.

(Image credit: Contributor via Getty Images/EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

published 10 December 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he would be open to exploring further prisoner swaps between the U.S. and Russia after a deal was made to free Brittney Griner, Axios reported.

In his comments, which were released by Russian state media, Putin said "everything is possible" in regards to future prisoner exchanges. The Russian president added that "compromises have been found" that could open the door for similar trades in the future.

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The Russian president's openness to exploring further trades remains critical, as the United States is still working to free captured former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan. While Griner was arrested for illegally carrying cannabis oil, Whelan has been detained since 2018 on accusations of spying. Given the nature of this charge, Russia has notably rejected any proposals made by the U.S. that would involve bringing Whelan home.

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Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.

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