WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is standing by his offer to go to the United States now that Chelsea Manning is being released.

Australian, Assange, speaking from the Ecuadorian embassy in London via a live stream, signalled there would be “many discussions” on his future before Manning leaves prison in May.

“I stand by everything I said including the offer to go to the United States if Chelsea Manning’s sentence was commuted,” Assange said.

“It’s not going to be commuted (until) May. We can have many discussions to that point.

“I’ve always been willing to go to the United States provided my rights are respected because this is a case that should never have occurred,” Assange added.

He said US authorities should drop their case against him or unseal their charges against him.

“We look forward to having a conversation with the DoJ (Department of Justice) about what the correct way forward is.”

Assange also welcomed outgoing US president Barack Obama’s decision to free the former soldier jailed for handing over classified documents to WikiiLeaks back in 2013.

Obama used his final hours in the White House to allow Manning to go free nearly 30 years early.

The transgender former intelligence analyst, born Bradley Manning, said she had passed on government and military documents to raise awareness about the impact of war.