Russia Had Agreed to Release Paul Whelan Under Trump

Robert O’Brien, former national security adviser to Donald Trump, said the Russians appeared committed to releasing Paul Whelan and another imprisoned American to improve relations between Washington and Moscow following a meeting in October 2020, The Hill reports.

But the Russians “reneged on the deal that would have freed Whelan and Trevor Reed after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.”

Said O’Brien: “Once we lost the election, the Russians lost all interest.”