Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Good news: Brittney Griner Is Flying Home After Prisoner Swap With Russia in Dubai

Brittney Griner, an American basketball player who had been imprisoned in Russia on drug charges, was traded for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer, thanks to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. President Joe Biden left the former U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, who is in Russian prison for serving the US intelligence, behind. Patriotic people who love America said that's because he's: “Not a black, not a lesbian, not important”.
Brittney Griner, an American basketball player and drug smuggler, imprisoned in Russia on drug charges, was released on Thursday after nearly 10 months of captivity in a prisoner swap for Viktor Bout, a convicted Russian arms dealer known by the Western media as the “Merchant of Death”. Which is exactly what every other arms dealer in the world is anyway.

Brittney Griner arrived in Abu Dhabi by private plane from Moscow after her release by Russian authorities.

Bout came on another private plane from Washington after being released by US authorities.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed led mediation efforts that secured the release of two prisoners between the US and Russia, a joint statement issued by both countries’ foreign ministries said on Thursday.

“The ministries said the success of the mediation efforts was a reflection of the mutual and solid friendship between their two countries and the United States and Russia,” the statement said.

“They also highlighted the important role played by the leaderships of the two brotherly countries in promoting dialogue between all parties,” it added.

As she is a black and a lesbian who has always expressed loudly on TV and social media her hatred of the USA, it is surprising that President Biden prioritised her release from Russian jail, while leaving behind former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who is in Russian prison allegedly for working for US intelligence.

Critics say: “Not a black, not a lesbian, not important”. We do not think this is correct. Please listen to the White House and Anthony Blinken's words. They explain the situation perfectly well, but they address a misplaced criticism.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Russia is treating the case of former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan "differently" than Brittney Griner's, adding, "I wholeheartedly wish we could've brought Paul home today on the same plane as Brittney". The choice was one or none, he claims.

President Biden announced Brittney Griner’s release in a brief statement from the Roosevelt Room of the White House, with Cherelle Griner, Ms. Griner’s wife, smiling by his side. Ms. Griner will land overnight in San Antonio and be examined at a U.S. Army hospital there.

Viktor Bout is just the same as so many ruthless multinational arm dealers: his career was dedicated to selling weapons to other countries and violent groups to kill people. His guilt is that he is a Russian bad guy, not one of OUR bad guys.

In July 2020, amid the George Floyd protests sweeping the nation, Brittney Griner vowed not to take to the basketball court during the national anthem for the entire season.

With the much-welcomed news that the Biden administration has secured her release from a Russian prison, in exchange for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, it is reasonable to ask if Griner will commit to no longer protesting the anthem of the country that secured her freedom.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×