Rubio Denies Sanctions Deal with Russia, Slams POLITICO Report

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has strongly denied a recent report by POLITICO that alleged discussions about lifting sanctions on Russia in connection with a potential Ukraine deal. Calling the report “unequivocally false,” Rubio accused the outlet of “journalistic malpractice” in a post on X. “Neither Steve Witkoff (US Special Envoy to the Middle East) nor I have had any conversations about lifting sanctions against Russia as part of a deal with Ukraine,” he wrote. “If @POLITICO has an ounce of integrity, they will fully retract this piece of fiction.”

POLITICO had cited unnamed sources claiming that the White House is debating lifting sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline and possibly other Russian assets in Europe as part of ongoing discussions to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Such a move would represent a major policy reversal. While President Joe Biden initially waived sanctions on Nord Stream 2 early in his term, they were reinstated after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

According to POLITICO, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff has emerged as a key proponent of easing sanctions, reportedly instructing his team to compile a detailed list of US energy sanctions on Russia. The report also noted Witkoff’s past connection to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stemming from his tenure as Donald Trump’s envoy to Moscow.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, designed to carry gas through the Baltic Sea to Germany, remains partially functional despite suffering damage in a 2022 explosion. That blast, which also affected the adjacent Nord Stream 1 pipeline, disrupted gas supplies to Europe and remains under investigation. Some reports have suggested possible involvement of Ukrainian nationals in the incident.