White House Considers Sanctions Relief for Russia Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The White House has instructed the State Department and Treasury Department to draft proposals aimed at easing certain sanctions on Russia, as part of ongoing efforts to improve diplomatic and economic relations between the US and Moscow, Reuters reported on Monday. This potential sanctions relief would align with President Donald Trump’s push to strengthen ties with Russia and facilitate an end to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the proposed sanctions relief could target specific Russian individuals and entities, including business leaders. The list of potential sanctions relief candidates is expected to be discussed with Russian representatives in the coming days as part of broader talks aimed at repairing the strained US-Russia relationship. However, it remains unclear what actions or concessions the US might seek in exchange for this relief. Neither the White House, State Department, Treasury Department, nor the Russian embassy in Washington have commented on the matter.
The reported decision follows several rounds of diplomatic talks between the US and Russia. On February 12, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin engaged in a phone call to discuss potential steps toward resolving the conflict in Ukraine. In addition, high-level meetings have taken place in Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, with US and Russian officials exploring economic cooperation opportunities.
At the meeting in Saudi Arabia, the US delegation, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, explored areas of potential collaboration, including joint ventures in energy and technology. The delegation also discussed the possibility of restoring embassy staffing levels to improve diplomatic communication. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who led the Russian delegation, described the Riyadh meeting as a critical first step in rebuilding relations and called for a cleanup of the “legacy” left by the Biden administration. Lavrov emphasized the importance of appointing ambassadors in Washington and Moscow as a key move toward restoring full-scale cooperation.
While Trump has emphasized that any sanctions relief would not come before a formal peace agreement, he has also indicated that any easing of restrictions would be contingent upon tangible steps toward resolving the Ukraine conflict. Meanwhile, Putin has expressed his support for diplomatic efforts with the US, reiterating Russia’s willingness to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict. He stressed the need for an international system that fairly considers the interests of all parties, aiming to ensure lasting and indivisible security for Europe and the world, while preventing any nation from prioritizing its security at the expense of others, including Russia.
