Former US Marine Paul Whelan Is Disappointed That He Has Not Been Released From Russian Prisoners, President Biden: We Are Not Disappointed

President Biden was accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Foreign Minister Antony Blinken and their families when contacting Britney Griner after being released. (Twitter/@POTUS

JAKARTA - Paul Whelan, a former US Marine detained in Russia, expressed disappointment on Thursday that much had not been done to guarantee his freedom, urging President Joe Biden to act quickly following the exchange of prisoners releasing US basketball star Britney Griner.

Griner was released instead of arms trader Viktor Bout, a transaction that may have left the United States with little influence on negotiating for Whelan, who served a 16-year sentence for espionage charges he denied. He was detained in 2018 and sentenced two years later.

"I am very disappointed that not much has been done to secure my release, especially because the fourth anniversary of my arrest was imminent," he told CNN.

"I would say that if a message could be conveyed to President Biden, that this is a precarious situation that needs to be resolved quickly."

Meanwhile, President Biden said the United States would never give up on finding Whelan's release, but the exchange of prisoners involving Griner left little choice.

"Unfortunately and for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia treats Paul's case differently from the Britney case. And even though we haven't managed to secure Paul's release, we haven't given up," President Biden stressed.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a news conference: "This is not the choice of which Americans to take home. The choice is one or no one at all."

Blinken told CBS News she had spoken to Paul Whelan's sister.

However, Paul's brother, David Whelan, said the US made the right decision to get a possible deal rather than wait for what would not happen, but that's not a good sign for his twin brothers.

President Biden's administration informed Whelan's family earlier that he would not be released with Griner, he added.

"The early warning means our families have been able to prepare mentally for what is now public disappointment for us. And disaster for Paul," he said in a statement.

President Biden hopes to talk to Whelan's family today or when they are ready, said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

"He is open and ready to communicate with them," he said.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN the United States would not return to its starting point with Whelan.

"It was very clear, from the start, that they would treat Mr. Whelan separately and differently than Brittney. It still happens," he said.

Separately, Whelan's attorney Vladimir Zherebenkov called his client serving his sentence at the colony, with discussions of his continued release.

"Helan is currently in the penal colony. Discussions on his exchange continue at the intelligence level, so everything is quite closed, but it is ongoing," Vladimir Zherebenkov was quoted as saying by Russia's Interfax news agency.

It is known that Whelan was convicted in 2020 of spying, after the trial was held completely behind closed doors which US diplomats said were unfair and opaque. He was sentenced to 16 years in the colony to maximum security. He denies all charges.