Moscow, Russia - US ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy on Thursday visited Evan Gershkovich, the American Wall Street Journal reporter who is being held in Moscow on espionage charges, the embassy said.

The 32-year-old was detained while on a reporting trip to the Urals city of Yekaterinburg in March of 2023, and is currently being held in Moscow's notorious Lefortovo prison.

"Evan remains resilient and grateful for the support of friends, family and supporters," the embassy said in a statement on social media.

"We continue to call for Evan's immediate release."

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Gershkovich, his employer, and the US government vehemently reject the spying charges that he is accused of, the first of such charges to be leveled against a foreign journalist since the Soviet era.

He is set to remain in custody until at least January 30 pending a trial that could potentially see him sentenced to 20 years imprisonment if he should be found guilty.

President Vladimir Putin said in December that he wanted Moscow and Washington to reach a "solution" in order to secure the reporter's release, but that such talks were not straightforward.