U.S. consular official spoke with detained Americans Griner and Whelan -State Dept

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. consular official spoke on Tuesday with Britney Griner and Paul Whelan, Americans detained in Russia, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.

“There was a substantial proposal on the table earlier this summer to facilitate their release. Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal, and the Russians should take that deal,” he said at a news briefing.

A consular officer spoke briefly on the phone with both detainees on Tuesday, he said without elaborating.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chris Reese)