Sands: there are no political prisoners in Russia

Russia did not discuss with the United States the easing of anti-Russian sanctions, said the press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov. The media wrote that Donald Trump agreed to ease sanctions in exchange for the release of political prisoners. According to Peskov, there are no political prisoners in Russia.

“In such a presentation, this topic was not discussed and could not be discussed, because we categorically deny the presence of any political prisoners and believe that such a statement of the issue is absolutely inappropriate,” the Kremlin spokesman said during a press call.

Dmitry Peskov said that the special services of Russia and the United States maintain contact on the issue of prisoner exchanges. “As for the various exchanges that took place before, our special services continue regular contacts on this matter,” he added.

The fact that Mr. Trump agreed to ease sanctions against Russia, the day before reported the American edition of The Atlantic. According to him, the mechanism was proposed by the US President’s envoy to Eastern Europe, John Cole. This idea arose after his meeting with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov (declared a foreign agent in Russia). Mr. Cole allegedly compiled a list of Americans held in Russian prisons, and his interlocutor - convicted Russians who spoke out against Russian military actions in Ukraine.

U.S. authorities began easing sanctions against Belarus in exchange for the release of prisoners in 2025. In mid-September, Minsk agreed to release 25 prisoners in exchange for lifting restrictions on the producer of potash fertilizers Bellesbumprom and Lakokraska.