Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has rejected as \u201cinappropriate\u201d the notion that the measures could be curtailed in exchange for the release of prisoners<\/p>\n
The Kremlin has categorically denied that Moscow and Washington discussed\u00a0a plan whereby\u00a0sanctions targeting Russia could be eased in return for the release of US nationals imprisoned in Russia.\u00a0
\nPresidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday responded to a question about an article in the Atlantic citing anonymous sources that claimed the administration of US President Donald Trump was considering relaxing some economic restrictions if Moscow\u00a0would release\u00a0individuals Washington considers unjustly imprisoned.
\n\u201cThe issue was not discussed in those terms and could not have been, because we categorically reject the notion that there are any political prisoners in Russia and consider framing the issue in this way entirely inappropriate,\u201d Peskov told journalists.
\nRussian and US special services continue regular contacts concerning various prisoner exchanges, he added.
\nAccording to The Atlantic, the proposal was advanced by White House envoy John Coale and approved by Trump for exploration several months ago. The initiative, the outlet’s sources speculate, could have reportedly allowed Washington to broaden its engagement with Moscow beyond negotiations over Ukraine and pursue deals involving Russian oil, diesel, rare earth minerals and other commodities.
\nTrump\u2019s envoys have been exploring ways to revive economic ties with Russia but have so far viewed at least a partial ceasefire in Ukraine as a prerequisite, the outlet wrote on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Trump envoy vows to help unfreeze assets of close Russia ally<\/p>\n
Washington and Moscow have separately discussed potential economic cooperation. Following talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow earlier this month, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said the sides had discussed possible \u201cmajor, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects.\u201d
\nThe Atlantic also claimed that Washington is seeking to arrange lower-level talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine as early as next month, could focus on a limited ceasefire covering energy infrastructure, potentially in the UAE.\u00a0
\nMoscow has repeatedly said it opposes a temporary truce that would allow Ukraine to regroup and rearm, insisting that hostilities can end only through a comprehensive settlement that addresses the root causes of the conflict. Peskov was not asked to respond to the claim.
\nSpeaking at the UN Security Council last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would not agree to pause military operation because such a step could be used by Ukraine\u2019s European backers to supply Kiev with more weapons.
\nThe prospect of renewing US-Russian business ties before the Ukraine conflict is resolved\u00a0has been sharply criticized by Vladimir Zelensky, who\u00a0told The Atlantic he would try to \u201cblock\u201d any sanctions relief for Moscow before hostilities end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has rejected as \u201cinappropriate\u201d the notion that the measures could be curtailed in exchange for the release of prisoners The Kremlin has categorically denied that Moscow and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39122,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t