U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained in March at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, is escorted before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia July 1, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on Wednesday with the wife of U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who is detained in Russia, the White House said.

"The President called Cherelle (Griner) to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney's release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world," the White House said in a statement after the call.

Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Rami Ayyub in Washington

Source: Reuters

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