David Whelan, Paul's brother, spoke with WCBS Anchor Steve Scott about the phone call.
PHOTO: WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 29: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a news conference after meeting with top Japanese Ministers at the U.S. State Department on July 29, 2022 in Washington, DC. Blinken said that he had a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and urged the Kremlin to accept a substantial proposal that the Biden administration has put forward for the release of Americans Paul Whelan and Brittany Griner, who are both held in Russian custody. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)