- Saudi Arabia and the UAE took credit for mediating Brittney Griner's release from Russia.
- Griner was freed from Russian captivity in a one-for-one prisoner swap for arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Shortly after US President Joe Biden announced WNBA star Brittney Griner had been released from a Russian prison, the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates jumped in to take credit for the prisoner swap.
In a statement published by state media, the UAE and Saudi Arabia said their leaders "led" the negotiations between Russia and the United States to trade the detained basketball star for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
"UAE, Saudi Ministries of Foreign Affairs announced the success of the mediation led by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Prince Mohammed bin Salman," Emirates News Agency (WAM), the country's official outlet, said.
WAM — citing a joint government statement from the UAE and Saudi Arabia's foreign ministries — said Griner flew on a private jet from Moscow to Abu Dhabi after she was released from Russian captivity. At the same time, Bout was flown on a private jet from Washington to Abu Dhabi.
"Specialists" from Saudi Arabia and the UAE were there to help with the transfer, according to state media.
Russia's foreign ministry confirmed earlier that the one-for-one prisoner exchange occurred at an airport in Abu Dhabi, state media reported.
"The [UAE and Saudi Arabian] 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 of America and the Russian Federation," WAM said.
The State Department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
Griner, the WNBA star, had been in Russian custody since mid-February. Months later, she was convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to nine years in Russian prison — a sentence the US decried as wrong.
President Joe Biden celebrated her release on Thursday, publishing photographs of him embracing Griner's wife, Cherelle, and said she is "safe" and "on her way home."
But Paul Whelan, a former US Marine who has been jailed in Russia since 2018, remains in Moscow's custody. He was convicted on espionage charges in 2018 and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
During a recent press conference, Biden said the Kremlin was unwilling to negotiate for Whelan's release with Griner — but said the US will "will never give up" trying to recover him.
"While we celebrate Brittney's release, Paul Whelan and his family continue to suffer needlessly. Despite our ceaseless efforts, the Russian Government has not yet been willing to bring a long overdue end to his wrongful detention," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday. "I wholeheartedly wish we could have brought Paul home today on the same plane with Brittney."
He continued: "Nevertheless, we will not relent in our efforts to bring Paul and all other U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad home to their loved ones where they belong."