President Biden brokered a prisoner exchange with Russia to secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday, but the deal was criticized because it didn’t include Marine veteran Paul Whelan, who is detained in a Russian prison with no clear timetable for release.
Mr. Whelan has been in Russian custody since 2018, when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges. The U.S. government and Mr. Whelan’s family say those charges were manufactured.
Mr. Whelan’s family has pushed the Biden administration to be more aggressive about getting him released. His fate had become linked to Ms.