Ahead of Pres. Biden's meeting with Vladimir Putin, Russia is signaling they are open to discussing a prisoner swap.
Russia has suggested it would exchange former marines Trevor Reed and Paul Whalen for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Reed’s father spent over a year in Russia trying to free his son.n President Vladimir Putin indicated on Friday that he’d be willing to talk about a potential ‘prisoner swap’ between two former U.S. Marines, Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan, for Russians being held in the U.S.
"This conviction, and a sentence of nine years, for an alleged crime that so obviously did not occur, is ridiculous. I cannot even say 'miscarriage of justice,' because clearly 'justice' was not even considered. This was theater of the absurd," Ambassador John J. Sullivan said in a July 2020 statement.
“It's just been really, really hard taxing for our family, for Joey, myself, his sister ... But obviously, it's roughest on Trevor,” she added. Russia has repeatedly floated the idea of trading the two Americans for Russians jailed in the U.S. on criminal convictions.But he suggested that he was ready to discuss a possible prisoner swap for the men, replying “yes, yes” when asked if he would consider talking about it with Biden.
“Please bring me home to my family and my dog Flora where I belong. Thank you, Mr. President, for your commitment to returning me home and bringing this deplorable hostage situation to an expedient conclusion,” Whelan said in the recording that his family said was made on May 30.
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