https://sputnikglobe.com/20220822/us-on-rodmans-visit-bypassing-official-channels-risks-hindering-efforts-to-free-griner-1099876206.html
US on Rodman's Visit: Bypassing Official Channels Risks Hindering Efforts to Free Griner
US on Rodman's Visit: Bypassing Official Channels Risks Hindering Efforts to Free Griner
Sputnik International
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Former American professional basketball player Dennis Rodman's efforts to negotiate the release of Brittney Griner in Russia may harm... 22.08.2022, Sputnik International
2022-08-22T21:12+0000
2022-08-22T21:12+0000
2022-08-22T21:12+0000
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"We put forward a substantial proposal to Russia to seek the freedom of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner," Price told a briefing. "We believe that anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder those release efforts."Price emphasized that Rodman will not be traveling to Russia on behalf of the US government.On Saturday, Rodman, a former NBA star, announced that he intends to travel to Russia to lobby for the release of Brittney Griner, a WNBA star who was recently sentenced to nine years in prison on drug-related charges.An unnamed senior Biden administration official reportedly claimed that he was more likely to cause harm than good.If Rodman travels to Russia, it will not be the first time he has engaged in covert diplomacy with a world leader whose relations with the US have been strained. Over the past ten years, Rodman has built a relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and visited the country numerous times. After visiting Moscow in 2014, he reportedly described Russian President Vladimir Putin as "cool." He appeared on the sidelines of the meeting between Kim and former President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018. Additionally, he claims to have been instrumental in getting American Kenneth Bae out of North Korea.
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us, russia, dennis rodman, us state department, jail, court, drugs, brittney griner
us, russia, dennis rodman, us state department, jail, court, drugs, brittney griner
US on Rodman's Visit: Bypassing Official Channels Risks Hindering Efforts to Free Griner
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Former American professional basketball player Dennis Rodman's efforts to negotiate the release of Brittney Griner in Russia may harm the talks led through official channels, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday.
"We put forward a substantial proposal to Russia to seek the freedom of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner," Price told a briefing. "We believe that anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder those release efforts."
Price emphasized that Rodman
will not be traveling to Russia on behalf of the US government.
"He would not be traveling on behalf of the US government," Price stipulated.
On Saturday, Rodman, a former NBA star,
announced that he intends to travel to Russia to lobby for the release of Brittney Griner, a WNBA star who was recently sentenced to nine years in prison on drug-related charges.
"I got permission to go to Russia to help that girl," Rodman told NBC News. "I'm trying to go this week."
An unnamed senior Biden administration official reportedly claimed that he was more likely to cause harm than good.
"It’s public information that the administration has made a significant offer to the Russians and anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder release efforts,” the official explained.
If Rodman travels to Russia, it will not be the first time he has engaged in covert diplomacy with a world leader whose relations with the US have been strained.
Over the past ten years, Rodman has built a relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and visited the country numerous times. After visiting Moscow in 2014, he reportedly described Russian President Vladimir Putin as "cool."
He appeared on the sidelines of the meeting between Kim and former President Donald Trump in Singapore in 2018. Additionally, he claims to have been instrumental in getting American Kenneth Bae out of North Korea.
