Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates acted as intermediaries in the exchange of Greiner for Bout

Saudi Arabia and the UAE acted as intermediaries between the United States and Russia in the exchange of American basketball player Brittney Griner for Russian businessman Viktor Bout, transmits EFE agency with reference to a joint statement by the Foreign Ministries of the two countries.

“The success of the mediation efforts is a reflection of the close friendship between our two countries, with the United States and Russia,” the statement said. The mediation was carried out under the direct supervision of the Saudi Crown Prince, Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

December 8 at Abu Dhabi Airport took place the exchange of Brittney Greiner for Viktor Bout, the information was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry. Vice-President of the Russian branch of the International Committee for the Protection of Human Rights Ivan Melnikov addedthat Greiner and Booth were pardoned before the exchange, they will not have to serve their sentences in their countries.

The Foreign Ministry also pointed to difficult negotiations with the American side. The Russian agency said that Washington had long refused to include Bout in the exchange scheme, but Moscow “continued active work to rescue” the Russian.

On August 4, the Khimki court sentenced basketball player Greiner to 9 years in prison for drug smuggling. Also, the basketball player must pay a fine of 1 million rubles. Whelan was arrested in Moscow at the end of 2018 on suspicion of espionage. He is currently serving a 16-year sentence. Bout was sentenced by a US court to 25 years in prison in 2012. He was found guilty on several counts, including being convicted of conspiracy to sell weapons.

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