Moscow says discussions with US on lifting sanctions on Russian investment fund underway

Discussions on the US lifting sanctions on Russia's flagship investment fund are underway with the administration of US President Donald Trump, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Ushakov, quoted by Russian news agencies, said the head of the Russia Direct Investment Fund, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, was actively pursuing talks on lifting the sanctions.

"This conversation is going on. It has been going on for a while. I don't know what the outcome will be," Ushakov was quoted as saying.

"Dmitriev is active in his contacts and that's why the issue is under discussion. It already got into the media a few days ago and discussions are still proceeding."

The New York Times reported earlier in the day that the Trump administration was considering abandoning the sanctions.

Washington has made concessions to Moscow in terms of sanctions imposed following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Trump announced that Russia would provide diesel for the US and world markets, temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian fuel. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday that a fourth tanker of diesel would depart on Wednesday.

Trump also issued an executive order waiving key Russia-related US sanctions and tariffs including duties on the country's goods and penalties for buying its oil and gas, that had been scheduled to go into effect under the legislation known as the Graham Act that he signed into law last month.

Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Stephen Coates