BREAKING NEWS

US athlete's guilty plea will not impact release talks with Russia, White House says

A guilty plea by US basketball star Brittney Griner, who was detained in February at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport with vape cartridges containing hashish oil, will not impact negotiations to bring her home, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday.

The move also will not impact talks with Moscow to secure the release of former US Marine Paul Whelan, who is imprisoned in Russia and accused of spying, Jean-Pierre added.