Biden to meet with families of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan amid U.S.-Russia talks

Washington — President Biden plans to meet at the White House on Friday with family members of WNBA star Brittney Griner and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan, both of whom remain jailed in Russia, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

The separate meetings are to be the first in-person encounter between Mr. Biden and the families and are taking place amid sustained but so far unsuccessful efforts by the administration to secure the Americans' release. The administration said in July that it had made a "substantial proposal" to get them home, but despite plans for the White House meetings, there is no sign that a breakthrough is imminent.

"President Biden will hold meetings at the White House with Brittney Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, and Paul Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, to discuss his continuing commitment to bringing their family members home safely," Jean-Pierre said at the White House press briefing. "As we have said before, we believe that Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney and Paul under intolerable circumstances. And, as you know, we have been directly engaged with the Russian government through appropriate channels."

Griner has been held in Russia since February on drug-related charges. She was sentenced last month to nine years in prison after pleading guilty and has appealed the punishment. Whelan is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage-related charges that he and his family say are false. The U.S. government regards both as wrongfully detained, placing their cases with the office of its top hostage negotiator.

Negotiations have been complicated by the tense relations between Washington and Moscow over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.