Criticized For Not Putting Maximum Effort, The US Government Has Apparently Sent A Letter To Russia To Free WNBA Basketball Player Brittney Griner

WNBA player Brittney Griner, detained by Russia. (Photo: Instagram @brittneyyevettegriner)

JAKARTA - The United States government claims to have taken important steps to ensure the release of WNBA basketball player Brittney Griner.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said his party had made an "important proposal" to the Russian government. The US offer was made several weeks ago.

Blinken said he intended to discuss the proposal with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The meeting is expected to take place this week.

According to the US government, the detention of Griner, also former Marine Paul Whelan, was wrong.

As reported by CNN, the Joe Biden administration has offered a prisoner swap. The US is willing to give arms dealer Viktor Bout who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in Uncle Sam's country. The payoff was the release of Griner and Whelan.

Previously, s retired marine who was released from a Russian prison last April, Trevor Reed, criticized the White House. He considered that the US government had not done its utmost to bring Griner home.

Reed believes that the White House actually has the power to expel the WNBA player. However, it was not done for reasons that may be secret to the public.

"I think the White House has the ability to get them out very quickly, and they clearly voted against it. So I don't think they did enough," Reed said, as quoted by Marca.