MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. A senior Russian diplomat on Tuesday dismissed reports claiming Moscow was allegedly discussing the easing of anti-Russian sanctions with Washington in exchange for a potential prisoner exchange between the two countries.
When asked to comment on whether Washington is considering easing anti-Russian sanctions in exchange for the release of US nationals detained in Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said, "No, we are not discussing the US sanctions policy for political reasons."
"We have not done so before, nor are we doing so now," he added.
According to Ryabkov, "Hundreds of rounds of US sanctions have failed to weaken the Russian economy." "The US sanctions are illegitimate, as they are dictated by the purely anti-Russian line of Washington and the US elites, whose only goal is to inflict `a strategic blow’ to the Russian Federation," he lamented, adding that he saw no point at all in discussing this.
On May 11, CNN reported, citing sources in the Biden administration, that the White House was considering a limited relaxation of sanctions to secure the release of US nationals detained in Russia. Washington is also approaching its allies to explore the possibility of including Russian spies being held in these countries in a potential swap with Moscow, the TV channel said. According to CNN, the goal is to bring home Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, detained in Russia for espionage, and Paul Whelan, who was convicted in Russia on similar charges.