Paul Whelan in CNN interview: ‘I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here’

Paul Whelan, the Michigan man who has been held in Russia for nearly four years for crimes he and U.S. officials have called baseless says he doesn’t know why he wasn’t part of a prisoner exchange announced Thursday by the U.S. and Russia.

“I am greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release, especially as the four year anniversary of my arrest is coming up. I was arrested for a crime that never occurred,” Whelan told CNN in a phone call from the penal colony where he is being held. “I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”

The phone interview was conducted just hours after President Biden announced the prisoner swap with Russia that would bring WNBA star Brittney Griner back to the U.S. in exchange for the release of international arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Related story: Family of Paul Whelan ‘devastated’ he remains in Russian prison, but support Griner swap

Whelan said he was happy for Griner and her family, but he was also led to believe recently that conversations between the two nations were moving “in the right direction” as far as his release is concerned. Whelan admitted to CNN that he was surprised not be involved in the swap and is concerned that he may never leave Russia.

“It’s quite obvious that I’m being held hostage,” Whelan said.

Whelan was convicted in 2020 in a closed-door trial after he was accused of espionage during a 2018 visit to Moscow. During that visit, Whelan was given a flash drive by someone that contained classified information, however throughout the process he has denied knowing the information was on the drive. Russian authorities arrested Whelan when they found the drive and he’s been in captivity since.

Following his conviction, Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison and is currently serving his sentence at a remote penal colony.

Whelan said that it’s been made clear to him that the Russians view him as a spy and as such, they don’t view him as the same level of prisoner as Griner or Trevor Reed, another American who was released this year. Whelan went on to say that he hopes President Biden and other U.S. officials will continue to work to do whatever they can to get his released granted by the Russians.

“I would say that if a message could go to President Biden, that this is a precarious situation that needs to be resolved quickly,” Whelan said.

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