The “cautiously optimistic” US negotiator Griner will be released at the end of the year

Bill Richardson, the former governor and diplomat, said Sunday he was confident that American basketball star Brittney Griner would be released from Russian custody before the end of the year.

In an interview on CNN, Richardson said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the release of Griner and Paul Whelan, a US citizen who has been held in a Russian prison since 2018 on espionage charges.

“I think so. Now I hate making predictions, but yeah,” Richardson said when asked if the two Americans would be released before the end of 2022.

Richardson, a formerly Governor of New Mexico and US Ambassador to the United Nations, has extensive experience negotiating on behalf of hostage and prisoner families.

“I know (the families are) very emotional and this is a very emotional time. All I can say is that the Biden administration is working hard on it,” Richardson said on CNN on Sunday. “I also. We coordinate, but we don’t always agree on every tactical decision. But I will not interfere in their process. I’m just giving you my assessment after two visits to Russia on behalf of American hostages.”

Griner, a star for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, has been held in a Russian jail since February after she was arrested at a Moscow airport on drug charges (officials found cannabis oil in her luggage).

In August, Griner was found guilty by a Russian court and sentenced to nine years in prison.

She plans to appeal the conviction and a hearing has been set for October 25.

The US considers both Griner and Whelan “wrongly imprisoned”. The Biden administration has negotiated a prisoner swap with Moscow, with the US offering to release Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the United States, in exchange for the release of Griner and Whelan.

Russia has reportedly turned down that offer.

On Sunday, Richardson hinted that the Russians might be open to a deal.

“I feel like the Russian officials I’ve met and known over the years are open to discussion,” Richardson said on CNN. “I got a good sense – the vibrations – from the Russians, but I’m not a government official.”

“I’m not part of the government, the government channel. I’ve always made that clear. I respect that. I think every decision, like a release, a prisoner swap, has to be made by the President. And I think the administration did a good job on that,” Richardson added.

President Joe Biden met with the families of Griner and Whelan last month.

“He wanted them to know that they will be remembered and that his team is working every day to make sure Brittney and Paul return home safely,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time.

Biden harshly condemned Russia following Griner’s August conviction.

“Today, American citizen Brittney Griner was sentenced to prison in another reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongly holding Brittney,” Biden said in his statement at the time.

“This is unacceptable and I call on Russia to release her immediately so that she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends and teammates.”

“My government will continue to work diligently and will do everything possible to get Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible,” he added.