The U.S. State Department says efforts by private citizens to broker the release of Americans held in Russia could complicate the government's attempts to bring the U.S. citizens home.
The comments by spokesman Ned Price on September 14 came in response to questions about reports that former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who runs a center that specializes in negotiating the release of prisoners and hostages, traveled to Russia this week.
Price indicated that any outside effort to help secure the release of detained Americans abroad should be fully coordinated with the department and that such attempts run the risk of complicating matters.
"We want to make sure that any outside effort is fully and transparently coordinated with us," Price said. "In this case we believe that any efforts that fall outside of that officially designated channel have the potential to complicate what is already an extraordinarily complicated challenge that we face."
Richardson held meetings in Russia this week, according to a source familiar with the matter quoted by Reuters. He was said to be working to gain the release of Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) star Brittney Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.
Price said Richardson's travel was not coordinated with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
The Kremlin had no comment on Richardson's trip.
"There were no meetings at the Kremlin," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "I have nothing to tell you on this subject."
A spokesman for Richardson said he was unable to comment. The Richardson Center likewise said it could not comment, according to Reuters.
Griner was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison on drug-smuggling charges on August 4. Whelan was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in jail after being convicted of spying.
The United States in August said it has put forward a "substantial offer" on the table to secure the release of the two Americans.
Washington has offered to exchange Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner and Whelan, sources familiar with the situation have told Reuters.