WASHINGTON (AP) — It was December 2022 and the U.S. government’s chief hostage negotiator had just delivered Brittney Griner back to America after her 10-month imprisonment in Russia. Roger Carstens went to his hotel room anticipating a quick snooze after several sleepless days and had just put his head on the pillow when the phone rang.
On the other end was Paul Whelan from Russia, asking why the trade that brought home Griner had left him behind.
The call was a reminder that a deal heralded for bringing home a celebrated professional athlete had left neither side fully satisfied. The U.S. still needed to bring back Whelan, who was serving a
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