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US embassy confirms Blinken spoke with Whelan by phone on Wednesday

It is reported that the top US diplomat told the interlocutor "to keep the faith" and promised that "we're doing everything we can to bring you home as soon as possible"

MOSCOW, August 17. /TASS/. The US Embassy in Moscow has confirmed to TASS that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a telephone conversation with Paul Whelan, who was convicted of espionage in Russia, on Wednesday.

"Yes, we can confirm it," the American diplomat said.

Earlier, CNN, citing a source, reported that Blinken had a phone call with Whelan on Wednesday. Specifically, the top US diplomat told the interlocutor "to keep the faith" and promised that "we're doing everything we can to bring you home as soon as possible."

Speaking at the Aspen Institute's Security Forum in July, Blinken said that the US was working with Russia on a prisoner swap. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, for his part, noted that the prisoner exchange channel between Moscow and Washington remained open and that contacts were continuing.

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United States Antony Blinken

Middle East conflict

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