Putin open to more prisoner swaps – after U.S. athlete Griner for arms dealer Bout

Russia President Vladimir Putin said Friday the prisoner swap a day earlier in which U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was exchanged for arms dealer Viktor Bout was the result of "negotiations" and "compromises" – and that he's open to more such deals.

"This is the result of negotiations and the search for compromises," Putin said at a a press conference in Kyrgyzstan, according to the Daily Mail. "In this case, compromises were found and we aren't refusing to continue this work in the future." 

President Biden suggested Thursday after Griner's release there was no compromising with Russia over including ex-Marine Paul Whelan in the Griner-Bout deal.

Whelan has been held four years in Russian for suspected spying.

"Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul's case different than Britney's," Biden said. "And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul's release, we are not giving up."