Current:Home > StocksPaul Whelan, wrongfully detained in Russia, says he thinks "the wheels are turning" toward release-DB Wealth Institute B2 Reviews & Ratings
Paul Whelan, wrongfully detained in Russia, says he thinks "the wheels are turning" toward release
lotradecoin roadmap View Date:2024-12-25 15:46:48
Washington — Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen who is wrongfully detained in Russia, is worried he could be left behind again, but said he's confident "the wheels are turning" toward his release.
"I remain positive and confident on a daily basis that the wheels are turning. I just wish they would turn a little bit more quickly," Whelan told CNN in a phone interview on Sunday.
Whelan is imprisoned in Mordovia and serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges, which the U.S. denies. He's been detained in Russia since December 2018 and has watched as the U.S. made two prisoner swaps for the release of professional basketball star Brittney Griner and Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who were both wrongfully detained in Russia after Whelan's arrest.
Russia has since detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who the U.S. has determined is also wrongfully detained, on espionage charges.
The Whelan family has expressed concern that the White House and State Department are diverting resources away from his case, and fear that he could be left behind again as the U.S. seeks the release of Gershkovich.
"That's an extreme worry for me and my family," Whelan told CNN.
But Whelan said he now has more confidence in the efforts to get him home than he did months ago.
"I have been told that I won't be left behind, and I have been told that although Evan's case is a priority, mine is also a priority, and people are cognizant of the fact that this is having an extremely negative impact on me and my family," Whelan said. "And I'm told that the government is working tirelessly to get me out of here and to get me home so they can then focus effort on Evan and his case."
"I feel that my life shouldn't be considered less valuable or important than others who have been previously traded," he added. "And I think there are people in D.C. that feel the same way, and they're moving towards a compromise and resolution to this as quickly as they can."
Whelan's seemed more optimistic in his comments to CNN than when his family shared an update on his well-being after Gershkovich was detained. His family said in April that Whelan's "resilience is shaken" and he "seems rattled like never before" as he feared a deal would be made for Gershkovich's release that did not include him.
He partly attributed his renewed confidence to President Biden's speech at the White House Correspondents' Dinner last month, in which Mr. Biden said he was working to secure the release of wrongfully detained Americans, including Whelan. He said he was also able to watch his sister, Elizabeth, attend the United Nations Security Council meeting chaired Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last month.
"The public displays and events such as the press corps dinner and the UN visit demonstrate to not just me, privately, but to the world that our leaders are impacted by this, and they do want me back, and they are working to try to get me home," Whelan said.
After the U.S. ambassador to Russia recently visited Whelan in prison, the U.S. Embassy in Moscow said his release "remains an absolute priority" and the U.S. government "will continue to engage Russian authorities on his case."
The State Department reiterated that Whelan is a high priority in a briefing with reporters on Monday.
"I can assure him and I can assure his family members that we have no higher priority than returning him safely home to the United States," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
Miller declined to say whether Russia has engaged on the "serious proposal" Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered to secure his release. Blinken said in March that the U.S. had made an offer and urged Moscow to accept it.
"We oftentimes have found that it is not conducive to our efforts — to return wrongful detainees home — to speak about the details of those efforts," Miller said.
- In:
- Paul Whelan
- Russia
Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital. Reach her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hausofcait
TwitterveryGood! (38935)
Related
- Emily in Paris' Ashley Park Reveals How Lily Collins Predicted Her Relationship With Costar Paul Forman
- Alabama vs LSU live updates: Crimson Tide-Tigers score, highlights and more from SEC game
- Wyoming volleyball coach worried about political pressure to forfeit vs. San Jose State
- A push for school choice fell short in Trump’s first term. He may now have a more willing Congress
- 'Alien: Romulus' movie review: Familiar sci-fi squirms get a sheen of freshness
- Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez wins reelection in Washington’s closely watched 3rd District
- Democratic US Sen. Jacky Rosen is reelected in Nevada, securing battleground seat
- Buccaneers donate $10K to family of teen fan killed in crash on way to 'MNF' game
- Wisconsin’s Evers urges federal judge not to make changes at youth prison in wake of counselor death
- Slower winds aid firefighters battling destructive blaze in California
Ranking
- Head of Theodore Roosevelt National Park departs North Dakota job
- Brianna LaPaglia Says Zach Bryan Freaked the F--k Out at Her for Singing Morgan Wallen Song
- Bribery case adds to problems in Mississippi city with water woes and policing disputes
- Brianna LaPaglia Says Zach Bryan Freaked the F--k Out at Her for Singing Morgan Wallen Song
- Austin Dillon loses automatic playoff berth for actions in crash-filled NASCAR win
- Are giant rats the future in sniffing out wildlife trafficking? Watch the rodents at work
- Wyoming volleyball coach worried about political pressure to forfeit vs. San Jose State
- New Democratic minority leader in Georgia Senate promises strong push for policy goals
Recommendation
-
Red Cross blood inventory plummets 25% in July, impacted by heat and record low donations
-
Arizona Republican lawmaker Justin Heap is elected recorder for the state’s most populous county
-
'I hope nobody got killed': Watch as boat flies through air at dock in Key Largo, Florida
-
Nico Iamaleava injury update: Why did Tennessee QB leave game vs. Mississippi State?
-
Horoscopes Today, August 14, 2024
-
Georgia governor declares emergency in 23 counties inundated with heavy rain and flooding
-
A record 13 women will be governors next year after New Hampshire elected Kelly Ayotte
-
Louisiana lawmakers advance Gov. Jeff Landry’s tax cut bills
Tags
-
lotradecoin token airdrop campaigns
lotradecoin trading competition updates
lotradecoin payouts
lotradecoin promotions
lotradecoin real-time trading charts
lotradecoin social trading platform
lotradecoin transaction processing speed
lotradecoin trading account types
lotradecoin market depth insights