Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty; KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty; SERGEI GUNEYEV/Sputnik/AFP via Getty
U.S. PresidentJoe Bidensaid he would be open to meeting withVladimir Putinif the Russian president was willing to discuss the release of imprisoned WNBA starBrittney Griner.
Speaking withCNN’s Jake Tapper Tuesday night, Biden said that would be the only reason he would talk with Putin at the G20 summit in Indonesia next month.
“Look, I have no intention of meeting with him, but look, if he came to me at the G20 and said, ‘I want to talk about the release of Griner,’ I would meet with him, but that would depend,” Biden said.
He again spoke about the possibility while addressing reporters outside of the White House on Wednesday, according toReuters. Biden also said that there has been no movement from Putin on the possibility of a prisoner exchange with Griner and another American imprisoned in Russia, Paul Whelan.
Biden told Tapper that he doesn’t believe there is a need to speak with Putin outside of specific issues, while alluding to thewar Russia has waged against Ukrainesince February.
“He’s acted brutally, I think he’s committed war crimes, and so I don’t… see any rationale to meet with him now,” he said on CNN.
Brittney Griner shakes hands with her lawyer Alexander Boykov.EVGENIA NOVOZHENINA/POOL/AFP via Getty
In August, Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison. The sentence came after she was arrested at a Russian airport in February when officials allegedly found vape cartridges containing hash oil in her luggage.
Meanwhile, Griner’s lawyers in Russia have filed for an appeal, and a Russian courtset Griner’s first appeal hearing date for Oct. 25.
Earlier this month, Griner’s wife,Cherelle, spoke about the situation with CBS’Gayle King.
“I’m like, in no world did I ever thought, you know, our president and a foreign nation’s president would be sitting down having to discuss the freedom of my wife,” sheexplained. “And so to me, as much as everybody’s telling me a different definition of what BG is, it feels to me as if she’s a hostage.”
“It terrifies me, because when you watch movies, sometimes those situations don’t end well,” Cherelle added. “Sometimes they never get their person back.”
RELATED VIDEO: Brittney Griner Is ‘Stressed’ in Russian Prison as She Awaits the Start of Her Appeal Hearings
Biden and Cherelle met in person in September to discuss the White House’s continued work to secure Griner’s release. Cherelle later expressed her gratitude with a post onsocial media.
“I want to thank President Biden for yesterday’s meeting as well as the Administration for its efforts to secure my wife’s release,” she wrote in the post. “It was an honor to speak with him directly about the Brittney we know and love. I’ve felt every minute of the grueling seven months without her. I look forward to the day my wife is back home.”
Cherelle added: “As my family and I continue on this journey, I’d like to thank the broad coalition of friends, leaders and supporters who continue to stand with us and advocate for Brittney’s swift and safe return.”
source: people.com
