Blinken Assures Detained Marine Paul Whelan Of Efforts For His Release: 'Keep The Faith'

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reached out to the detained American and former marine, Paul Whelan, assuring him of the U.S. government’s efforts to secure his release from Russian custody, where he has been held since 2018 on espionage charges.

What Happened: Blinken conveyed to Whelan to "keep the faith, and we're doing everything we can to bring you home as soon as possible,” reported CNN.

This was the second call between the two, as per a source. The Biden administration has been under scrutiny, especially from the right, for successfully negotiating the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner but not Whelan during a prisoner exchange in December 2022.

Amidst the criticism, Whelan's family has defended the administration’s efforts. David Whelan, Paul’s brother, criticized Former President Donald Trump on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, for his recent remarks about the swap that saw Griner return to the U.S. David’s post read, "Former President Trump appears to have mentioned my brother #PaulWhelan's wrongful detention more in the last 24 hours than he did in the 2 years of his presidency in which Paul was held hostage by #Russia."

See Also: Elon Musk Reacts To Brittney Griner Prisoner Swap And Exclusion Of US Marine Paul Whelan

Why It Matters: Whelan’s prolonged detention and the recent prisoner swap have raised questions about the U.S. government’s approach to securing the release of its citizens detained abroad. With the geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Russia, the situation remains complex and delicate.

The Biden administration’s decision to prioritize Griner’s release over Whelan’s has been contentious. Trump claimed he had rejected a similar deal during his tenure, criticizing the recent exchange as unfavorable.

Whelan, who has been in Russian detention for nearly four years, expressed his disappointment with the Biden administration for choosing Griner over him. He was arrested in December 2018, accused of espionage, and later sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison in June 2020.

Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com

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