Brittney Griner updates: WNBA star reunites with wife

Brittney Griner is “in an extremely upbeat mood” and is “all smiles,” according to a senior Biden administration official.

The athlete is “in good health” and “is being offered a wide range of support options following her time wrongfully detained,” the official added.

The agreement to secure her release was reached in “recent days,” the official said.

“Through multiple, multiple engagements, the Russians made clear that the only route to securing Britney's return was a release of a Russian national, Viktor Bout,” the official said. “In the last 48 hours, as this had all come together, Brittney was moved from the penal colony where she was being held to Moscow, and this morning, she was brought to the United Arab Emirates, where she was met by U.S. officials.”

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson

New photos released by Jill Biden's office show the first lady hugging Brittney Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, at the White House Thursday morning.

"Brittney is coming home," the first lady wrote.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, “Congress and the Country are overjoyed to learn that, thanks to the committed and focused leadership of President Biden, Brittney Griner is finally free. Today, our hearts are with her dear wife, Cherelle, and the entire Griner family as their beloved Brittney is safely on her way back to America and will be home for the holidays."

“For nearly ten long months, Brittney Griner suffered unthinkable trauma as she was wrongfully imprisoned by the Russian government," Pelosi said. "Putin’s cruelty against Brittney – and his monstrous actions against Ukraine – are staggering reminders of his brazen contempt for human rights, human dignity and the rule of law."

The road to Griner’s release involved "painstaking and intense negotiations," President Biden said as he thanked many across his administration who "worked tirelessly to secure her release."

"She's relieved to finally be heading home and the fact remains that she's lost months of her life, experienced a needless trauma," he said. "She deserves space, privacy and time with her loved ones to recover and heal from her time being wrongfully detained."

Biden said Griner landed in the United Arab Emirates and that the country helped facilitate the transfer.

Paul Whelan was not part of this exchange, the president said, adding, "This was not a choice of which American to bring home."

"Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul's case differently than Brittney's. And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul's release, we are not giving up. We will never give up," Biden said. "We remain in close touch with Paul's family -- the Whelan family -- and my thoughts and prayers are with them today.

"They have to have such mixed emotions today," he continued. "And we’ll keep negotiating in good faith for Paul Whelan. I guarantee that. I say that to the family. And I guarantee you. I urge Russia to do the same to ensure that Paul's health and humane treat are maintained until we can bring him home. I don't want American to be detained one extra day if we can bring that person home."

-ABC News' Justin Gomez