Russian President Vladimir Putin said on December 9 that further prisoner exchanges between the United States and Russia are possible and that contacts between the intelligence services of the two countries will continue.

Putin spoke at a news conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, a day after the United States and Russia swapped Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for American basketball player Brittney Griner in a prisoner exchange.

“Yes, everything is possible,” said Putin.

“The contacts continue, in fact they never stopped… The compromise was found, we do not refuse to continue this work in the future,” said the Russian president.