MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. Russia is conducting a dialogue with the United States on the issue of prisoner swap via a special closed channel, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters.

"Dialogue on this issue is being conducted through a special closed channel, I am not authorized to comment on these information exchanges and signals passing through this channel," the senior diplomat said when asked by TASS to comment on reports that Washington is preparing a new proposal to exchange Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal journalist accused in Russia of espionage, and Paul Whelan, an American convicted of the same.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters after the Russia-US summit in Geneva in June 2021 that Moscow and Washington could find certain compromises on the issue of imprisoned Russians sentenced in the United States and Americans serving sentences in Russia.

On December 14, 2023, Putin said at a press conference that Moscow does not refuse to exchange prisoners with Washington, but "these arrangements should be mutually acceptable and should suit both sides." According to the Russian leader, contacts to this effect are underway with the United States. At the same time, Putin emphasized that "humanitarian considerations should certainly underlie these decisions."