"President Biden assured me that the US government was doing all it could to bring about Paul's safe return from his wrongful detention in Russia. We spoke for several minutes and I was touched by the President's obvious concern and empathy for Paul's plight and the Whelan family's distress," David quoted their sister, Elizabeth Whelan, who spoke with Biden, as saying.
David noted that even though the issue of Paul's return has not been solved yet and the whole family remains under severe stress, he felt somewhat elated to know that the president considers Paul's case as a priority.
"Our family is very grateful to the President for making the call. It is reassuring and we remain confident that his Administration is doing what it can for Paul. We hope that their determined effort will yield some result and that Paul will soon be home. In the meantime, we will continue to work closely with the State Department and other agencies," David said.
On Wednesday, the Whelan family expressed frustration that Biden did not call them but spoke with the relatives of US basketball player Brittney Griner, arrested in Russia on charges of drug possession, who sought help in her case by writing a letter to the White House. Paul's family accused the US government of inaction and lack of concern for Paul's case.
Paul Whelan, who holds American, British, Canadian and Irish citizenship, is serving his sentence in Russia's Mordovia region. A Moscow court sentenced him to 16 years in jail in June 2020 on charges of espionage. He has denied the charges but did not challenge the verdict in the hope of being part of a potential prisoner exchange between the US and Russia.
The charges in Whelan's case were not disclosed, but a press release from Russia's Federal Security Service said he was detained in Moscow at the end of 2018 during a spy operation. Whelan's legal defense team said he was a victim of a provocation.