
via Getty
US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)

via Getty
US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
President Joe Biden expressed his determination to bring Griner home hours after the WNBA star was moved to a Russian penal colony. The Phoenix Mercury’s attorneys and the US ambassadors in Russia have no information on Griner’s whereabouts or where she will end up. Following her detention in Russia, the Biden Administration has worked tirelessly to secure the release of Brittney Griner. The State Department even offered a prisoner swap deal for Griner and US marine Paul Whelan. On November 9, President Biden hoped that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would be willing to take the prisoner swap discussion more seriously after the conclusion of the midterm elections.
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Joe Biden made a huge declaration about his commitments to BG after his recent triumph. Meanwhile, Griner has been stuck in Russia for over eight months. She was first detained in February after the discovery of vape cartridges filled with cannabis oil in her luggage at the Moscow Airport. The customs officials detained Griner under drug possession charges. In addition, a Russian court eventually sentenced her to nine years in prison.
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The State Department seemed to have increased its efforts to secure Brittney Griner‘s release, as suggested by a recent White House statement. Moreover, her appeal was denied last month on October 25.
Joe Biden is dedicated to bringing Brittney Griner back
President Biden gave his take on the Brittney Griner saga during a White House press conference. He claimed to have been spending a fair amount of time with BG’s wife, Cherelle Griner, regarding her situation in Russia.?
Moreover, President Biden chose not to reveal the details of the State Department’s alternative offer, deeming it unwise. Joe Biden added,?“I’m telling you, I’m determined to get her home and get her home safely, along with others. I might add.”
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President Biden to @karentravers on Brittney Griner: "My intention is to get her home…I am determined to get her home and get he home safely." pic.twitter.com/3tpn47R347
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 9, 2022
The President hoped that Putin would be willing to take the prisoner swap offer more seriously following the midterm elections. It is believed that the Kremlin refrained from responding to the prisoner swap deal from the White House. They did not want to give President Biden an undue advantage in the elections.?
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Thus, the US president claimed that he was determined to bring Brittney Griner back to her home. He also hoped to get a response from the Kremlin soon as the elections came to an end.
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