Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan's families to meet with Biden as Americans remain in Russian jail

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President Biden will meet with the families of WNBA star Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan at the White House Friday as the two Americans remain jailed in Russia.

The planned meetings will mark the first in-person encounter between Biden and the families and will be held separately. 

Griner was arrested and later convicted of bringing vape cartridges containing oils derived from cannabis through a Moscow airport in February. Whelan was convicted on espionage charges. 

Griner is serving a nine-year sentence and Whelan a 16-year sentence.

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Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who was arrested for alleged spying, listens to the verdict in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court in Moscow, June 15, 2020. (Sofia Sandurskaya, Moscow News Agency photo via AP, File)

"He wanted to let them know that they remain front of mind and that his team is working on this every day on making sure that Brittney and Paul return home safely," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Thursday’s press briefing.

"While I would love to say that the purpose of this meeting is to inform the families that the Russians have accepted our offer, and we are bringing their loved ones home — that is not what we're seeing in these negotiations at this time. … The Russians should accept our offer. The Russians should accept our offer today."

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At the end of July, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that the Biden administration had made a "substantial proposal" to Russia to facilitate the return of