A week ahead of the trial of American journalist Evan Gershkovich in Russia on espionage charges he denies, Russia said it had presented ideas about a prisoner exchange to the United States and was awaiting a response.
"The ball is in the United States' court. We are waiting for them to respond to the proposals presented," Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS.
They are well known to the relevant parts of the US administration.
"I understand that, perhaps, something in these proposals does not suit the Americans. That is their problem," Ryabkov added.
"We believe that our approach is completely justified, reasonable and balanced. We expect that they will look at it that way," he says.
Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal's Russia correspondent, has been in prison since March 2023 on charges of alleged espionage - which he, the outlet he works for and the US government vehemently deny. The US State Department declared him illegally detained.
The trial of Geršković behind closed doors begins on June 26 in the Ural city of Yekaterinburg, where he was arrested more than a year ago. Media freedom experts say that the trial will almost certainly not be independent and objective.
Yekaterinburg is located about 1.400 kilometers east of Moscow.
If found guilty, Geršković faces up to 20 years in prison. Russian authorities, however, said a trial needed to take place - before a prisoner exchange could take place.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously hinted that Moscow would be willing to exchange Gershkovic for the Russian who is currently in prison in Germany for the murder of a Chechen dissident.
Gershkovich is one of two American journalists currently in prison in Russia.
Alsu Kurmasheva, an American-Russian citizen employed by Voice of America's sister company, Radio Free Europe, has been in prison since October 2023 on charges of failing to register as a "foreign agent" and spreading what Moscow considers false information about the Russian military.
Kurmasheva and her media reject the accusations against her, which are punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The US government has also called for her immediate release.
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