Recently, the appeal of Brittney Griner of her nine-year sentence was rejected by a Russian court. The news of the court upholding their initial sentence came as a shock to her fans, friends, and family. It was a huge blow for Griner who had hoped she would return home after spending over eight months so far in jail. Ever since she was first arrested for carrying cannabis oil, there has been huge support from celebrities. The WNBA showed their support for the star player throughout the season.

Also, a lot of NBA superstars voiced their support for her. Some even criticized the efforts of the government in bringing her back home. Despite all this, there has been no change. The U.S. government still considers her “wrongfully detained.” But that has not helped as well. Also, a section of people were not impressed with the “wrongfully detained” tag as they feel Griner broke the law in a foreign country.

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After the initial nine-year sentencing, there were suggestions of a potential prisoner swap between the two countries. But few liked the idea of giving away arms dealer Viktor Bout who is referred to as the “merchant of death” to bring Griner back.

Russia is finally open to starting negotiations about Brittney Griner

A few days before the recent appeal hearing, Cherelle Griner, spouse of the basketball star gave an interview. During the interview, she stated Griner coming back is in the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin and not just POTUS Joe Biden. Unfortunately, a few days later, a close aide of Putin made a statement that Griner is not a priority for them. However, it looks like there is still some hope left for the Phoenix Mercury star.

As per reports, the Kremlin has said on Wednesday that a potential prisoner exchange to free Griner can only be negotiated quietly. This could be a huge ray of hope for Griner who looked dejected after her appeal was rejected.

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However, the swap would mean the United States has to give away the Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout for Griner and Paul Whelan. Many are worried that letting him go could come back to haunt the nation. But that looks like the only option at the moment. And it looks like Russia is finally open to starting the negotiations.

After the court upheld their initial sentence, the news went viral on social media.