Updated

The Atlantic reported that U.S. President Donald Trump has approved a proposal to ease sanctions on Russia in exchange for the release of political prisoners, without waiting for the war to end. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied any such talks were underway, insisting Russia holds no political prisoners at all — a claim rights group Memorial disputes, having documented 1,368 such cases. The denial highlights the gap between reported U.S. diplomatic overtures and Moscow's public posture, complicating prospects for any near-term prisoner-related deal.