"Secretary Blinken's Ongoing Conversations with Detained American Paul Whelan in Russia"

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with detained American Paul Whelan, assuring him that efforts to secure his release continue, with Whelan expressing frustration at being left behind in previous prisoner swaps with Russia. Whelan has consistently urged the Biden administration to do its utmost to secure his release, calling on President Joe Biden to use every resource available to bring him home. The US has put significant offers on the table to secure Whelan's release, but so far, those efforts have not yielded success.