U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker has said he is ready to pay a visit to Moscow as soon as the Ukrainian seamen taken prisoners of war during Russia's attack on three Ukrainian naval vessels near the Kerch Strait are released.

"Following a Russian attack on the Ukrainian naval vessels and capture of their crews, President Trump canceled his meeting with President Putin. In view of this, I too have decided that it would be inexpedient for me to visit Moscow now. I hope I will be able to do it next year as soon as the seamen are released," he said in an interview with 1+1 TV channel on December 23.

Also, he said the Russian party should release the Ukrainian seamen.

"We all have been calling on Russia to do it as a gesture of goodwill… Ideally, by Christmas," Volker said.