Paul Whelan

Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a frequent emissary in hostage negotiations, said Tuesday he was hopeful about the chances of a two-for-two prisoner swap that could result in Russia’s release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan. In cases...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a frequent emissary in hostage negotiations, said Tuesday he was hopeful about the chances of a two-for-two prisoner swap that could result in Russia’s release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan.

Russia says it is "ready to discuss" a potential deal with the U.S., which is seeking the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan. The U.S. has already sent Russian officials what it calls a "substantial proposal." Reporter Mary Ilyushina explains what the next steps in negotiations will be, and how long it may take.

The U.S. must try to complete the exchange for detainees Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan following a difficult and drawn-out process, even at the cost of trading a dangerous arms dealer to secure their release, according to experts. "It's a torturous thing," former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joel Rubin...

Moscow is leaning toward rejecting a prisoner swap unless it gets two Russians in return for the two Americans the U.S. wants released, according to people familiar with the Kremlin’s thinking. The U.S. has called on Russia to free WNBA player Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan,...

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a "frank and direct conversation" about the "substantial proposal" that the U.S. has put forward in an attempt to secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, Blinken said Friday during a press conference.

CNN’s Natasha Bertrand explains her and Fred Pleitgen’s exclusive new reporting about the proposed prisoner swap between the US and Russia.

Russian officials on Thursday responded to reports from the Biden administration that a "substantial proposal" was offered to bring home WNBA player Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, claiming that no deal has been finalized. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference on Wednesday that...

WASHINGTON — (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday in the highest-level known contact between the two sides since Russia invaded Ukraine, with Blinken urging Russia to accept a deal to win the release of American detainees Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.

According to press reports, the U.S. government is prepared to swap notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner, two Americans currently jailed in Russia. Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and Michigan police officer, was arrested in Russia in December 2018 on espionage charges, which he...