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President Joe Biden said the White House has 'not forgotten' about Paul Whelan, an American veteran who's been jailed in Russia since December 2018.

"I hope you’ll join me in writing to Paul Whelan and continuing to advocate for other Americans to be rescued and returned to their families," Griner wrote.

Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a frequent emissary in hostage negotiations, said on Aug. 9 he was hopeful about the chances of a two-for-two prisoner swap that could result in Russia’s release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan.

A person familiar with the matter said the U.S. government proposed trading convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner.

The WNBA star has been placed at Female Penal Colony IK-2 in Yavas, which is in the region of Mordovia – the same area where American Paul Whelan is being held, according to Reuters.

The Biden administration has been trying for months to negotiate the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another American jailed in Russia, Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan, including through a possible prisoner swap with Moscow.

The separate meetings are to be the first in-person encounter between Biden and the families and are taking place amid sustained but so far unsuccessful efforts by the administration to secure the Americans’ release.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in July that the U.S. had made a "substantial proposal" to Russia to facilitate a swap.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Brittney Griner "is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances" and that the administration was working "to resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful detentions" of Griner and Whelan."