Biden announced the U.S. had secured Griner's release and in exchange the administration offered Russia the release of notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout.
"I have been in prison for 10 months now, listening to Russian. I want to talk," Griner said, according to Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, who helped secure the basketball star's release and bring her back to the U.S. last week.
Ultimately, Griner spent about 12 hours of an 18-hour flight talking with others on the plane, Carstens said.and Phoenix Mercury pro basketball star spoke about her time in the Russian penal colony and her months in captivity, Carstens recalled, although he declined to go into specific details. "I was left with the impression this is an intelligent, passionate, compassionate, humble, interesting person, a patriotic person," Carstens said. "But above all, authentic. I hate the fact that I had to meet her in this manner, but I actually felt blessed having had a chance to get to know her."
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