Washington DC [US], April 24 (ANI): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has refuted a recent report in the US media which alleged discussions about lifting sanctions on Russia in connection with a Ukraine deal, and termed it 'unequivocally false.'

Accusing the POLITICO outlet of 'journalistic malpractice,' Rubio in a post on X stated, 'This is unequivocally false. Neither Steve Witkoff (US Special Envoy to Middle East) nor I have had any conversations about lifting sanctions against Russia as part of a deal with Ukraine. This is journalistic malpractice. If @POLITICO has an ounce of integrity they will fully retract this piece of fiction.'

https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1915237747809206618

POLITICO, in a report citing sources, had said that the White House is debating whether to lift sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline and potentially other Russian assets in Europe as part of discussions on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Lifting the sanctions currently in place on one of Russia's main pipelines connecting its natural gas fields to Western Europe would be a sharp reversal in the US policy first put in place during President Donald Trump's first term. President Joe Biden waived those sanctions early in his term, but reimposed them after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, POLITICO reported.

According to sources cited by POLITICO, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff has been a key advocate for easing sanctions on Russia. Witkoff, who reportedly formed a friendship with Vladimir Putin during his time as Donald Trump's envoy to Moscow, has instructed his team to compile a comprehensive list of US energy sanctions imposed on Russia as part of ongoing discussions, the sources said.

One of the two Nord Stream 2 pipelines, constructed to transport gas through the Baltic Sea to Germany, remains functional despite an explosion in 2022 that damaged one of its lines along with both pipelines of the adjacent Nord Stream 1. The September 2022 blast, which disrupted gas supplies, is still under investigation, with some reports suggesting possible involvement of Ukrainian nationals. (ANI)