Bill Richardson: Prisoner Swap Is the Only Way to Free Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan

BOLDUAN As you have ░░░░░░░░ other Americans detained abroad ░░░░░░░░ are currently talking with ░░░░░░░░ Russians to try to ░░░░░░░░ the U S Government ░░░░░░░░ Brittney Griner s release ░░░░░░░░ Russians confirmed for the ░░░░░░░░ time today that they ░░░░░░░░ negotiating for what that ░░░░░░░░ worth Do you think ░░░░░░░░ prisoner swap is the ░░░░░░░░ way to get this ░░░░░░░░ RICHARDSON Yes I do ░░░░░░░░ so Because this is ░░░░░░░░ issue that this is ░░░░░░░░ the Russians negotiate Now ░░░░░░░░ the court system is ░░░░░░░░ with Brittney Griner and ░░░░░░░░ been over with Paul ░░░░░░░░ let s not forget ░░░░░░░░ the American Marine then ░░░░░░░░ Russians and other countries ░░░░░░░░ I dealt with say ░░░░░░░░ the court process is ░░░░░░░░ we re ready to ░░░░░░░░ I think the president ░░░░░░░░ his team have been ░░░░░░░░ up front and good ░░░░░░░░ said OK this is ░░░░░░░░ we want to get ░░░░░░░░ return They didn t ░░░░░░░░ it directly with bout ░░░░░░░░ it s pretty obvious ░░░░░░░░ Griner and Whelan So ░░░░░░░░ the real negotiating through ░░░░░░░░ government channels starts I ░░░░░░░░ I m helping but ░░░░░░░░ m not the official ░░░░░░░░ channel I m not ░░░░░░░░ to replace anybody but ░░░░░░░░ do talk to both ░░░░░░░░ I know a lot ░░░░░░░░ the Russians I I ░░░░░░░░ talk to the administration ░░░░░░░░ the White House I ░░░░░░░░ to push the process ░░░░░░░░ But my foundation work ░░░░░░░░ for the families In ░░░░░░░░ words the families ask ░░░░░░░░ to get involved Brittney ░░░░░░░░ s family Paul Whelan ░░░░░░░░ family And we were ░░░░░░░░ in Trevor Reed the ░░░░░░░░ Marine who two mounts ░░░░░░░░ got out for a ░░░░░░░░ named Yaroshenko The president ░░░░░░░░ to approve that and ░░░░░░░░ m giving him the ░░░░░░░░ for that but we ░░░░░░░░ help with a trip ░░░░░░░░ Russia right before it ░░░░░░░░ So we are involved ░░░░░░░░ this But I think ░░░░░░░░ the prospects are reasonably ░░░░░░░░ not instantaneous that swap ░░░░░░░░ happen But yes I ░░░░░░░░ t see how else ░░░░░░░░ else will than other ░░░░░░░░ a prisoner swap They ░░░░░░░░ unseemly They don t ░░░░░░░░ good But we have ░░░░░░░░ do them to bring ░░░░░░░░ American hostages back And ░░░░░░░░ s not just Griner ░░░░░░░░ Whelan that are in ░░░░░░░░ there is a POW ░░░░░░░░ in Ukraine there s ░░░░░░░░ other detainees the families ░░░░░░░░ contacted us So this ░░░░░░░░ not over but yes ░░░░░░░░ is going to be ░░░░░░░░ prisoner swap I think ░░░░░░░░ will be two for ░░░░░░░░ that’s my prediction.”