Former Gov. Bill Richardson In Moscow, Brittney Griner Prisoner Swap Expectations Rise

Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D) and a small team traveled to Moscow this week to meet with Russian officials presumably to raise the level of negotiations over WNBA star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan.

Sources told CNN on Wednesday that Richardson was in Russia to meet with Moscow officials, though they would not specifically confirm the purpose of the visit.

Richardson’s visit comes as the Biden administration is negotiating with Russian diplomats on a possible prisoner exchange of Griner and Whalen. The U.S. government has classified Griner as "wrongfully detained."