According to Reuters, the White House has directed the US State Department and the Treasury Department to draft a proposal to ease restrictions on a number of Russian entities and individuals, including key businessmen.
These proposals will soon be discussed with the Russian representative as part of the strategy to rebuild bilateral relations.
However, it is unclear what Washington will demand from Moscow in exchange for the lifting of these sanctions. The White House, the State Department and the Treasury have yet to make an official comment, while the Russian side has remained silent.
Recent diplomatic moves show a clear change in the approach of the Donald Trump administration to Russia.
On February 12, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone call to discuss the prospect of ending the Ukrainian conflict.
Immediately afterwards, senior officials of the two countries held meetings in Saudi Arabia and Turkey to seek cooperation opportunities.
At the meeting in Saudi Arabia, the US delegation led by Secretary Marco Rubio discussed economic cooperation paths, including potential joint ventures in the energy and technology sectors. The negotiations also mentioned the possibility of restoring the Embassy to improve diplomatic relations.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, head of the Russian delegation, described the meeting in Riyadh as the first step towards rebuilding relations, stressing that Moscow and Washington need to "clear up the legacy" left by the Biden administration.
Mr. Lavrov said that the quick appointment of ambassadors in Washington and Moscow will be an important step towards restoring comprehensive cooperation.
President Trump has always affirmed that lifting sanctions will not precede a formal peace deal. Any easing of restrictions will depend on specific steps towards ending the conflict in Ukraine.
For his part, President Putin welcomed the US efforts on the diplomatic front and expressed Moscow's desire to resolve the Ukrainian conflict through peaceful means.
Mr. Putin emphasized that Russia's goal is to establish an international system that takes into account the fairness of all parties' interests, ensuring a long-term and inseparable security framework for Europe and the world. Such a system would prevent some countries from securing their safety by harming others, including Russia.
