Putin says there may be ‘compromise’ on U.S. prisoner swap

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that there may be “a compromise” with the U.S. on a prisoner exchange.

Speaking in Geneva after meeting with President Biden for several hours, Mr. Putin appeared open to the idea of a prisoner swap. He said his U.S. counterpart raised the question and the Russian Foreign Ministry and U.S. State Department will work on the issue.

Mr. Putin revived an offer to swap prisoners ahead of the summit with Mr. Biden, who has come under growing pressure to free Americans from Russian jails.

Mr. Biden said last week he would raise the issue of jailed Americans when he faces the Russian leader.

The most high-profile U.S. citizens in Russian custody are Paul Whelan, who was arrested in 2018 on espionage charges, and Trevor Reed, who was arrested for a drunken brawl in which he punched two Russian police officers.

Meanwhile, Mr. Putin has sought the return of pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, saying he has health issues that have been ignored by U.S. prison officials.

Another prominent Russian in U.S. custody is Viktor Bout, an arms dealer arrested in Thailand in 2010 who is serving a 25-year sentence for smuggling weapons to rebels in Colombia.