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US to continue to engage with Russia to release Paul Whelan — Blinken

He has been convicted of espionage in Russia

WASHINGTON, December 8. /TASS/. The US will continue to engage with Russia to seek the release of Paul Whelan, a US national that has been convicted of espionage in Russia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference on Thursday.

"We were not able to secure Paul's release. But going forward, we remain absolutely determined to do that," he said. "And we will continue to engage the Russians on Paul. And we'll continue to look at everything possible to bring him home."

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Russian national Viktor Bout, who served time in a US prison on charges of arms trafficking, has been brought back to Russia as a result of an agreement to exchange him for US basketball player Brittney Griner, who was convicted in Russia of drugs smuggling.

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