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Lavrov says Russia is ready to discuss prisoner swap with US after Griner conviction
Russia’s overseas minister Sergey Lavrov advised reporters in Cambodia that the Kremlin is “prepared to debate this subject, however inside the framework of the channel that has been agreed by the presidents,” state information company RIA Novosti reported.
“There’s a specified channel that has been agreed upon by [Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden], and it doesn’t matter what anybody says publicly, this channel will stay in impact,” Lavrov reportedly mentioned Friday on the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations summit.
Shortly later, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned on the identical summit that the US will “pursue” talks with Russia.
“We put ahead, as you realize, a considerable proposal that Russia ought to interact with us on. And what International Minister Lavrov mentioned this morning and mentioned publicly is that they’re ready to have interaction by means of channels we have established to do exactly that. And we’ll be pursuing that,” Blinken advised reporters at a press briefing.
The feedback from all sides recommend {that a} negotiation course of, which has already confirmed advanced, may speed up within the coming days.
Griner, a Ladies’s Nationwide Basketball Affiliation star, pleaded responsible to carrying hashish oil in her baggage as she traveled by means of a Moscow airport on February 17. She testified in courtroom that she was conscious of Russia’s strict drug legal guidelines and had no intention of bringing hashish into the nation, saying she was in a rush and “stress packing.”
Previous to the decision on Thursday, Griner apologized to the courtroom and requested for leniency in an emotional speech. “I by no means meant to harm anyone, I by no means meant to place in jeopardy the Russian inhabitants, I by no means meant to interrupt any legal guidelines right here,” she mentioned.
“I made an trustworthy mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it does not finish my life right here. I do know everyone retains speaking about political pawn and politics, however I hope that, that’s removed from this courtroom,” she continued.
Griner’s legal professionals had hoped that her responsible plea and statements of regret would lead to a extra lenient sentence.
Her conviction, Blinken advised reporters, “places a highlight on [Washington’s] very vital concern with Russia’s authorized system and the Russian authorities’s use of wrongful detentions to advance its personal agenda utilizing people as political pawn.”
“The identical goes for Paul Whelan,” Blinken added.
Earlier Friday, a US State Division official advised reporters there had been no “critical response” from Russia on a proposed swap. The identical official mentioned Blinken and Lavrov had not met whereas on the Cambodia summit, and that Blinken had no plans to take action.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters Russia wouldn’t focus on the prospect of a switch publicly. “If we focus on by means of the press some exchange-related nuances, then these exchanges won’t ever happen. The Individuals have already made this error,” he mentioned Friday.
Peskov, requested whether or not Putin may pardon Griner, mentioned that “there’s a sure [legal] process that the convicted can resort to, in accordance with the regulation.” Based on the Russian regulation, to begin the clemency process, a convict wants to put in writing a petition to the Russian president.
Earlier than the beginning of Thursday’s WNBA recreation between Griner’s Phoenix Mercury and the Connecticut Solar, members of each groups linked arms round heart courtroom, and a 42-second second of silence was held for Brittney Griner.
Close to the tip of these 42 seconds, members of the group began chanting, “Convey her residence! Convey her residence!”
This story has been up to date with extra developments.
CNN’s Martin Goillandeau, Anna Chernova and Daniel Allman contributed to this report.