Trump backs plan to trade Russian prisoner releases for sanctions relief - Atlantic
US President Donald Trump has backed an initiative that would offer Russia sanctions relief in exchange for releasing political prisoners, potentially opening a path toward renewed US-Russia economic ties before the war in Ukraine ends, The Atlantic reports.
The proposal was brought to Trump several months ago by John Coale, his envoy to Eastern Europe, who has previously pursued a similar approach toward Belarus. According to The Atlantic, Trump signed on to the idea, although the initiative remains in its early stages.
Under the proposed approach, the Kremlin would release political prisoners while Washington would ease sanctions on the Russian economy.
The Atlantic said the initiative could help reintegrate Russia into the global economy and broaden US engagement with Moscow beyond negotiations over the war in Ukraine. It could also pave the way for business deals involving Russian oil, diesel, rare earth minerals and other commodities.
Coale argued that greater economic engagement could help create conditions for progress toward ending the war.
“The more engagement, the more compromises — whether economic or on prisoners or something else — step by step, it leads to, hopefully, peace,” he told The Atlantic.
Coale previously applied a similar strategy in negotiations with Belarus. Earlier this month, Minsk agreed to release political prisoners as the United States moved to ease sanctions on Belarusian companies.
The Atlantic noted that the proposal could face opposition from Ukraine, European governments and some of Trump's allies in Congress, amid concerns that renewed economic ties with Moscow could provide revenue to Russia while its war against Ukraine continues.
The initiative comes as the Trump administration is simultaneously exploring possible business ties with Russia and maintaining sanctions tools that could be used to increase economic pressure on Moscow.