WRONGFULLY DETAINED

Brittney Griner’s ‘Perseverance’ Praised After She Meets With U.S. Embassy Officials

Russia has rejected the WNBA player’s appeal to her nine-year sentence and she is set to be sent to a penal colony.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre gave an update on Brittney Griner’s situation Thursday, saying the imprisoned WNBA player met with U.S. Embassy officials recently. “We are told she’s doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that Russia turned down a “significant offer” made to resolve the “unacceptable and wrongful detention” of Griner and ex-Marine Paul Whelan. (The U.S. recently proposed a prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout.) Russia has rejected Griner’s appeal to her nine-year sentence and she is set to be sent to a penal colony. “Despite a lack of good-faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with Russians through all available channels,” Jean-Pierre said. “This continues to be a top priority.” In a tweet on Thursday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the officials who met with Griner “saw firsthand her tenacity and perseverance despite her present circumstances.”