US President Donald Trump has backed a proposal to link the release of political prisoners in Russia with a possible easing of US sanctions, in a new diplomatic approach aimed at improving ties with Moscow, according to The Atlantic.
The proposal was put forward by John Coale, Trump's envoy to Eastern Europe, and is intended to create another channel for engaging Russia beyond the stalled efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Under the plan, prisoner releases could be matched with selective sanctions relief, opening the door to broader economic engagement.
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The strategy draws from Cold War-era diplomacy, when Washington sought the release of Soviet dissidents while pursuing wider efforts to reduce tensions with Moscow.
Coale has already tested a similar framework in Belarus, where US-backed talks have resulted in the release of hundreds of prisoners alongside selected sanctions concessions.
The Belarus experience is now being used as a possible model for Russia. Reuters reported earlier this month that 25 additional prisoners were released in Belarus following Coale's latest discussions with President Alexander Lukashenko. Washington also lifted sanctions on two Belarusian companies as part of that engagement.
For Russia, the proposed approach could eventually create room for renewed US business ties involving oil, diesel, rare-earth minerals and other commodities, according to the report.
Such a shift would represent a major change from the broad economic restrictions imposed on Moscow since its war in Ukraine.
The proposal is likely to face resistance from Ukraine and some US allies, who argue that easing restrictions could provide Russia with additional economic resources while fighting continues.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Kyiv would oppose sanctions relief before the war ends.
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The initiative also comes despite a tougher US sanctions framework. Trump recently signed legislation authorising severe measures against Russia and countries conducting business with it.
The prisoner-based proposal remains in its early stages and has not been presented as a formal US policy. Its implementation would depend on negotiations with the Kremlin and agreement over both prisoner releases and the scope of any sanctions relief.
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