United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is said to have spoken to Paul Whelan (pictured), a former American marine detained in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges, people familiar with the matter told CNN on Wednesday.
According to the sources, the US secretary of state assured Whelan that Washington is doing "everything" to bring him back, making this the second time that Blinken spoke to the detained American directly.
Previously, Moscow emphasized that no negotiations with the United States are being held on the exchange of detainees serving time in Russia. Whelan previously expressed disappointment that the White House failed to secure his release after freeing basketball player Brittney Griner.
