Basketball star Brittney Griner returns to Russian court to face drug charges

The jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner has returned to a Russian court to face her trial on drug charges after a senior Russian diplomat said US criticism of Russia’s handling of the case would not help her release prospects.

Griner’s trial began last week amid a growing chorus of calls for Washington to do more to secure her freedom nearly five months after her arrest.

The athlete was detained in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport after vape canisters with cannabis oil were allegedly found in her luggage. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs.

The Russian deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said on Thursday that “attempts by the American side to make noise in public … don’t help the practical settlement of issues”.

The White House said President Joe Biden called Griner’s wife on Wednesday to assure her that he is doing all he can to obtain the athlete’s release as soon as possible. They spoke after Biden read a letter from Griner in which she said she feared she would never return home.

Washington has not made its strategy in the case public and the US may have little leverage with Moscow because of strong animosity due to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. The state department has designated Griner as wrongfully detained, moving her case under the supervision of its special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, effectively the government’s chief hostage negotiator.

Asked about the possibility of Griner being swapped for a Russian jailed in the US, Ryabkov said that until her trial is over “there are no formal or procedural reasons to talk about any further steps.”

He said that US criticism, including a description of Griner as wrongfully