Victor Booth, the arms dealer who was released in a prisoner swap with basketball player Brittney Griner, said he wished her luck at the Abu Dhabi airport where the exchange took place, Reuters reported.

Booth, who spent 14 years in a US prison for arms trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy to kill Americans, was released in exchange for basketball player Brittney Griner, who was jailed in Russia for bringing oil to Moscow of cannabis when he arrived to play for the Russian team.

• Russia freed American basketball star Brittney Griner in exchange for “dealer of death” Viktor Bout

Russia’s FSB security service released footage of the pair, escorted by agents, walking past each other on the runway at Abu Dhabi airport during the exchange, although the video cuts out as they pass and there was no footage of them interacting .

“I wished him luck, he even reached out to me,” Bout said in an interview with state-controlled Russian broadcaster RT on Saturday.

What does Booth say about Russia’s war in Ukraine

“Again, that’s our tradition. You’ve got to wish everybody good luck and happiness,” he said, adding that he thought Griner was “leaning positively” toward him.

Speaking to Maria Butina, who herself spent 14 months in a US prison for acting as a Russian agent and is now a parliamentarian and RT anchor, Bout praised President Vladimir Putin, whose portrait he said he had hung on his cell wall .

Answering a question about Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, Bout said that he would like Moscow to be able to start it earlier.

“If I had the opportunity and the skills, I would join as a volunteer,” he said.

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