Russia wants to use Brittney Griner as ‘negotiating chip’, says Democrat

Tim Kaine believes basketball star's detention is to make her part of this chess game'

A senior Democratic senator has said he believes Russia wants to use the WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been held in Moscow for more than a month on accusations she smuggled drugs into the country, as a negotiating chip" regarding the war in Ukraine.

I think there's no doubt that her detention, and then this continuation of the imprisonment, is all to try to make her a hostage and a part of this chess game," Tim Kaine, of Virginia, told Full Court Press in an interview scheduled to air in full on Sunday.