Officials from the US Embassy in Moscow "
were able to visit today with Brittney Griner
", a basketball champion detained in Russia, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday.
“
They told us she was doing as well as possible given the circumstances
,” she told reporters accompanying US President Joe Biden for a trip to New Mexico.
"
The US government has made a significant offer to the Russians to end the unacceptable and baseless detentions of Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan
," the spokeswoman said.
“
The US government has maintained this offer and offered alternatives through every possible channel, although the Russians are not negotiating in good faith
,” she said.
Russian justice rejected on October 25 the appeal of the American basketball player, sentenced in Russia to nine years in prison for cannabis trafficking, against a backdrop of very strong tensions between Moscow and Washington.
Russia is also detaining a former American soldier, Paul Whelan.
According to Russian diplomatic sources, a possible exchange of prisoners could notably concern Brittney Griner and a Russian arms trafficker detained in the United States, Viktor Bout.
Mr. Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States.