RT reported that on March 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree allowing US defense investment fund 683 Capital Partners to buy securities of Russian companies from a group of Western shareholders.
This move is seen as a sign of easing previous restrictions, in the context of a "cyclone" in Russia-US relations.
Under the decree, 683 Capital Partners have the right to buy securities from about a dozen Western financial institutions, including Jane Street, Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co., Templeton Asset Management, Franklin Advisers, Highmark Limited and Carrhae Capital. The fund could then resell to two Russian companies, Cepheus-2 and Modern Real Estate Funds without having to apply for additional licenses.
The decision is aimed at easing restrictions imposed since September 2022, when Moscow banned companies from "unfriendly" countries from trading Russian securities in the financial and energy sectors without the president's approval.
683 Capital Partners LP is an investment fund with a portfolio worth about 1.61 billion USD as of the end of 2024, specializing in trading on many types of assets.
President Donald Trump's return to the White House in January 2025 seems to have brought significant changes to Washington - Moscow relations. The two countries have begun talks to end the Ukrainian conflict, while Trump has left open the possibility of lifting sanctions on Russia if a peace deal is reached.
The Kremlin confirmed that President Putin and President Trump will have a phone call today (18.), expected to focus on the prospect of reaching a peace agreement in Ukraine. This will be the second meeting between the two leaders in just over a month.
Previously, US special missionary Steve Witkoff visited Moscow to discuss the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. In addition, Russian and US delegations also held important talks in Saudi Arabia and Turkey in February.
