(Bloomberg) -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke on Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about a proposed swap to secure the release of imprisoned Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.

“I pressed the Kremlin to accept the substantial proposal that we put forth,” Blinken told reporters in Washington in disclosing the call.

Blinken declined to characterize Lavrov’s response. Although Biden administration officials have refused to confirm what they’re offering, a person familiar with the proposal say the US is seeking to trade basketball star Griner and former US Marine Whelan for imprisoned Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, whose release Moscow has long sought. 

 

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