Paul Whelan's Brother in the Dark About Release Offer to Russia

David Whelan tells Newsweek that the U.S. government's response to the ongoing detainment of his brother, Paul Whelan, is leading to more questions than answers.

Paul Whelan, an ex-U.S. Marine and Michigan corporate security executive, is currently serving a 16-year sentence in Russia on espionage—charges that his family and the U.S. government have fervently denied. He was arrested in December 2018 and sentenced in June 2020.

According to Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, an offer has been "put on the table" to Russia by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Details of the offer have not been disclosed.

"The U.S. government has a singular offer that has been, by all accounts, waiting for Kremlin action for four months or more," David Whelan told Newsweek via email on Wednesday. "It begs the question: At what point do you decide the other side is just not interested in your offer? Each day they—the Kremlin, the U.S.—wait is another day Paul spends as a hostage."

When asked about the offer Blinken purportedly made and when it was proposed, Whelan replied, "Your questions are my questions."

"Secretary Blinken, both before and after Ms. [Brittney] Griner's release, noted that there was a significant offer for Paul's release and that the Kremlin should take it," he said. "I don't know what it consists of, and I don't know if those statements refer to two separate concessions or the same concession. One might assume that, after Ms. Griner's release, the U.S. had to offer a new concession, but I don't know that."

He said there is one offer in play as far as he is aware, made around December 2022 and has remained unchanged.

A possible shift in Russia's tone

On Monday, Thomas-Greenfield took Paul and David's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, to the U.N. Security Council chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The ambassador told Lavrov to turn to the visitor's gallery where Whelan was sitting and "look into her eyes and see her suffering," according to the Associated Press.

"I want you to see what it's like to miss your brother for four years," the ambassador said. "To know he is locked up in a Russian penal colony simply because you want to use him for your own means."

The ambassador also mentioned the recent detainment of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was arrested March 29 and is accused of attempting to obtain classified information.

During a news conference one day later at the United Nations, Lavrov hinted at a possible prisoner swap for both individuals—potentially in the same vein as the highly-publicized swap that occurred December 8 between WNBA player Griner and Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Lavrov reportedly said a communication channel to discuss detained American and Russian citizens was created when President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Geneva in 2021, though it did not provide "for the involvement of journalists," the New York Times reported.

"This is work that is not public in nature and publicity here will only complicate the process," Lavrov said, adding that Whelan and Gershkovich were detained "when they were committing a crime, receiving material" that he alleged consisted of state secrets.

During a joint interview of Thomas-Greenfield and Elizabeth Whelan Tuesday on Good Morning America, the ambassador said she has "hope" that Lavrov took notice of her statements, adding that the other 13 U.N. Security Council member nations all stood in solidarity.

"I was really glad that he looked up and saw me standing there as the face of my brother," Elizabeth told ABC's George Stephanopoulos. "My brother is in a forced labor camp in a distant province—not somebody that Lavrov has to deal with at all."

When asked if she has enough faith in the U.S. government to bring her brother home, Elizabeth said she does while adding that "Paul has been left behind twice" and that he must be part of any prisoner swap-based negotiations in the future.

'We need to see concessions'

David Whelan said his family is "grateful" to the ambassador for the opportunity to communicate directly with Lavrov, saying, "There is no question President Putin's servants heard the message."

While meaningful, however, it has not tangibly moved Paul's case forward.

"When it comes to Paul's freedom, we need to see concessions made and accepted," David said. "President Putin and President Biden agreed on a channel between the U.S. government and the Kremlin. Foreign Minister Lavrov reiterated that stance. But he is not the person who needs persuading."

The channel Lavrov mentioned between Biden and Putin also makes Whelan believe that someone else in the Kremlin—be it Alexander Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), or Sergey Naryshkin, director of the Foreign Intelligence Service—could ultimately make that determination.

"The diplomats are on the outside looking in," he said. "I think that's why it's not just State [Department] but also national security folks in the White House who are involved in the U.S. side."

A Pentagon official told Newsweek via email that it does not comment on the Paul Whelan situation, referring all inquiries to the State Department.

"The United States has made a proposal for Paul's release, and we encourage Russia to move on that proposal and let Paul come home," a State Department spokesperson told Newsweek Thursday via email. "His release remains an absolute priority.  We have engaged and will continue to engage the Russian government on his case."

Newsweek also reached out via email to the White House and National Security Council for comment.

Update 04/27/23, 3:46 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from the U.S. State Department.