Biden to Meet Griner, Whelan Families Amid US-Russia Talks

Facts

• Pres. Joe Biden is scheduled Friday to meet with the families of WNBA star Brittney Griner and security consultant Paul Whelan, who are currently jailed in Russia and considered to be “wrongfully detained” by the US State Department.
• The White House reportedly plans to host Griner’s wife Cherelle Griner, and Whelan’s sister Elizabeth Whelan for separate meetings with Biden.
• Although not much has changed in the negotiations between the US and Russia to bring the pair of Americans home, White House press sec. Karine Jean-Pierre said the meeting was meant to let the families know Griner and Whelan “remain front of mind” and the govt. is working tirelessly to secure their return.
• Griner, who was detained on drug charges in Feb., is serving a nine-year sentence. Whelan was detained in 2018 and is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges.
• The Biden admin. announced in July it had made a “substantial proposal” of a prisoner swap for Griner and Whelan, but negotiations, which have been complicated by tense relations between the US and Russia since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, haven't produced the desired result.
• It’s been widely reported that the US is willing to trade convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for Griner and Whelan.

Sources: Washington Post, FOX News, and CBS.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by Heritage. While there's no doubt that Griner's sentencing is harsh, the reality is that Americans overseas are subject to foreign laws, as thousands of similar cases can attest to. Biden's unprcedented efforts, including the consideration of a prisoner swap for one of the world's most prolific arms dealers, seems contingent on her fame and political value, rather than the nature of the case — a clear attempt to earn political points at the cost of national security.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by New York Times. There's nothing unprecedented about Biden's efforts: prisoner swaps have long been used as a successful strategy to bring detained Americans home, and this policy — which has been applied to both prominent and unknown individuals — shouldn't be abandoned now .The State Dept. has been working diligently for months to free Griner and Whelan, and will continue to do so.