U.S. President Joe Biden affirmed on Thursday that the UAE facilitated basketball star Brittney Griner’s release from Russia in a prisoner swap.
Biden thanked the UAE "for helping us facilitate Brittney's return because that's where she landed" en route back to the US.
Griner, who was given a nine-year sentence for drug possession in August, was traded for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout who was 11 years into a 25-year sentence.
However, the swap did not include businessman Paul Whelan, the other American wrongfully detained in Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “Washington categorically refused to engage in dialogue on the inclusion of the Russian in the exchange scheme. Nevertheless, the Russian Federation continued to actively work to rescue our compatriot.”
“As a result of the efforts made, it was possible to agree with the American side on the organization of the exchange of V.A. Bout for B.Griner. The Russian citizen has been returned to his homeland,” the statement read.
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