Family of American prisoner Paul Whelan backs Griner dealThe brother of an American detained in Russia since 2018 said Thursday that his family fears he will not be released for years, even as they supported the U.S. government’s agreement to a prisoner exchange that freed WNBA star Brittney Griner but left Paul Whelan behind.“I think we all realize that the math is not going to work out for Paul to come home anytime soon, unless the U.S. government is able to find concessions,” David Whelan said.Griner in ‘good spirits’ in US after Russian prisoner swapGriner swap wasn't all US hoped for, but what it could getGriner's home, but WNBA players still competing overseasQuote Box: Reaction to Brittney Griner's release from RussiaThe family’s pain doesn’t change their belief that the Biden administration “made the right choice” to exchange notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Griner, David Whelan said.“I would say that if a message could go to President Biden, that this is a precarious situation that needs to be resolved quickly,” he said in a phone interview.“And I wholeheartedly wish that we could have brought Paul home today on the same plane as Brittney.”Numerous Republican lawmakers criticized the deal for leaving Whelan in Russia, including Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg, who said he was heartbroken for the Whelan family."