While Putin defended Russia on several matters in his news conference, he called the summit with Biden "very efficient, substantive" and offered his fresh impression of the American president to reporters.

"He is very balanced, professional man," Putin said. "He's very experienced. He talked a bit about his family and what his mother told him. They are important things -- maybe they're not quite relevant -- but it does talk about the level of his moral values, which is very attractive," he said.

"And it seems to me that we did speak the same language. Certainly doesn’t imply that we must look into each other’s eyes and find a soul," Putin said, seeming to refer to a past comment from Biden, who says he looked Putin in the eye during a visit to the Kremlin in 2011 and told him he had no soul, a moment Putin said he doesn't remember.

"But essentially, our talks were pragmatic," he said.

ABC News Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott pressed Putin directly on the fate of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexey Navlany.

"The list of your political opponents who are dead, imprisoned, or jailed is long. Alexey Navalny’s organization calls for free and fair elections, an end to corruption. But Russia has outlawed that organization, calling it extremist. And you have now prevented anyone who supports him to run for office," Scott said. "So my question is, Mr. President, what are you so afraid of?"

Putin responded by bringing up the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and finished by saying, "And fears, I don't want to talk about that. That's absolutely irrelevant."

"You didn't answer my question, sir," Scott said. "If all of your political opponents are dead, in prison or poisoned, doesn't that send a message that you do not want a fair political fight?"

Putin again raised the U.S. insurrection, noting that 400 people were arrested.

"As for who is killing whom and throwing whom in jail, people came to the U.S. Congress with political demands," Putin said. "They face prison sentences of up to 20, maybe even 25 years."

"They are being called 'domestic terrorists.' They are being accused of a number of other crimes," he added, deflecting from Navalny whom he refuses to call by name.

After the summit, Putin was the first of the two leaders to hold a solo press conference.

He said there was "no hostility" between himself and Biden and called their talks "quite constructive" with both sides seeking "common ground," according to a translator.

"I think that both of these sides showed a willingness to understand one another and to find ways to bring our positions closer together," he said through a translator.

Putin said the leaders agreed on the "return of American ambassadors to Moscow and our ambassador to Washington," and regarding cybersecurity, said, "We agreed that we would begin consultations in this respect."

When a reporter asked a question in English about jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navlany, Putin first laughed, took out his earpiece and claimed he didn't hear what was asked through the translator, before saying he believes Nalvalny "wanted to consciously break the law."

"This man knew he was breaking the laws of Russia. He has been twice convicted," Putin said, refusing to call him by name but instead refer to him as, "the citizen whom you have just mentioned."

The summit between the two presidents ended earlier than expected. Biden was the first to leave -- giving a thumbs-up to reporters as he walked out.

He departed Villa La Grange for his hotel in the "Beast," the armored presidential limousine that had been idling outside.

The two men spent two hours and 38 minutes meeting together, according to the White House -- shorter than up five hours White House officials said their encounter might last.

Next, Putin is expected to hold a news conference. Biden will wait to begin his own press conference until his counterpart's concludes.

Putin indicated on Friday that he'd be willing to talk about a potential "prisoner swap" between two U.S. Marine veterans, Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan, for Russians being held in the U.S.

Russian officials have indicated they would like to trade Reed and Whelan for two Russians held in the U.S.: Viktor Bout -- one of the world's most notorious arms dealers and dubbed "the Merchant of Death" — and also Konstantin Yaroshenko, a pilot currently serving a lengthy jail sentence for a drug smuggling conviction.

David Whelan told ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis on Tuesday that his brother, who is manufacturing clothes in a Russian labor camp, is a hostage and that it's difficult to know when that might come to an end.

"I'm always hopeful that he'll be released, but I don't have any idea what the timeline might be," David Whelan said. "The Biden administration has been very outspoken about Paul's case and we've appreciated that as a family. It's given us hope and it's given him hope."

"But he's still a hostage and there's no evidence yet that the Russians are willing to exchange in any exchange for him," David Whelan continued. "They said last week -- the Russian government did — that they would not consider Paul for exchange."

Whelan's family released an audio message from him on Monday recorded from the prison camp in central Russia where he is held. In it, he appealed to Biden to help free him.

"Please bring me home to my family and my dog Flora where I belong. Thank you, Mr. President, for your commitment to returning me home and bringing this deplorable hostage situation to an expedient conclusion," Whelan said in the recording that his family said was made on May 30.

-ABC News' Haley Yamada and Patrick Reevell