Brittney Griner’s release was ‘deal we could get now’, working to get Paul Whelan home: Kirby

John Kirby, the U.S. national security council coordinator for strategic communications, said in an interview with ABC This Week that the deal to exchange Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for basketball player Brittney Griner was the “deal we could get now.” He also said Paul Whelan was not part of the deal as previously hoped because of espionage charges faced by the Canadian-born former U.S. Marine, but they were still working to bring him home.

• U.S. working on ‘next steps’ in securing Paul Whelan’s release: Hostage negotiator