Despite the sharp hostility between Russia and America, behind closed doors the scene is different, as diplomatic negotiations are taking place between the two parties that little is known about, which was revealed by the American CNN network in an exclusive news in which it stated that an American diplomatic team led by former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson was in Moscow this This week, they held meetings with the Russian leadership, but the details were not immediately clear.
Richardson, a diplomat and former governor of New Mexico, works privately on behalf of the families of the hostages and detainees, and the trip comes as the administration of US President Joe Biden is working to release two Americans whom the State Department has designated as unjustly detained: Britney Greiner and Paul Whelan.
A spokesman for Richardson told CNN on Tuesday that “at this point we cannot comment on what is happening.”
Earlier reports had said in mid-July that Richardson was expected to travel to the Russian capital.
Russia and America
Asked about Richardson’s trip, a senior Biden administration official said that anyone who “goes to Russia is an ordinary citizen and does not speak for the United States government,” but the Biden administration acknowledged that it was working to secure the release of Greiner and Whelan.
In late July, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that the US had made a “substantial proposal” to try and secure the release of Greiner and Whelan. Sources said that the proposal included an exchange of Americans for the convicted arms dealer Victor Bout.
On Tuesday, a senior official in the US administration confirmed that they had made an “important offer, and they are constantly following up on this offer.”
Richardson has long worked to secure the release of Americans held abroad and played a role in securing the release of another American, Trevor Reid, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The US official told CNN that members of the Richardson Center traveled to Moscow in February, in the days leading up to Russia’s war in Ukraine, to meet with Russian leadership.
After that visit, the Richardson Center got a clear impression of what the Russians were prepared to do, and Reed was released in a prisoner exchange in April.
Last week, State Department spokesman Vidant Patel said, “The US government continues to urge Russia to release unjustly detained individuals.”
He continued, “It was clear that there had been a substantive proposal on the table for weeks to facilitate their release.”