Blinken says he spoke to Russia FM about detained Americans

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov by phone on Friday and urged Moscow to accept a U.S. offer to release two Americans detained in Russia.

Blinken did not provide details of Lavrov’s response to what he had previously called a “substantial proposal" for Russia to release the two U.S. citizens: Paul Whelan and Brittany Griner.

Blinken had publicly requested the call and revealed the existence of the offer to Russia — which people familiar with it say involves a swap for Whelan and Griner with convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.