The United States does now not expect any improvement in family members with Russia and will maintain full aid for Ukraine regardless of Wednesday’s prisoner switch with Moscow, a US official said.

“It represents no change — zero — to our approach to the appalling violence in Ukraine,” a senior US official told reporters.

“These discussions with the Russians that led to this exchange were strictly limited to these topics — not a broader conversation or even the start of one,” he said on customary condition of anonymity.

The official said that the United States had been in discussion with Russia for months despite the sharp deterioration of relations between the two powers over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

The official said that Reed — jailed for allegedly assaulting Russian police officers while drunk — appeared to be “in good spirits” and was on his way back to the United States.

President Joe Biden in turn freed Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was arrested in Liberia in 2010 for drug trafficking.

The US official said that he has been exceeded into “Russian custody” but declined additional information.

The legit stated the United States would maintain pressing Russia to lose other detained Americans inclusive of Paul Whelan, former security respectable at a vehicle elements corporation whom Moscow has accused of espionage.