Donald Trump has privately approved a Cold War-era strategy that would offer Vladimir Putin’s Russia sanctions relief in return for freeing political prisoners.
The proposal was presented to the president several months ago by John Coale, his envoy for Eastern Europe and a former Trump attorney. According to The Atlantic, the initiative has been kept confidential.
Under the plan, US officials could pursue major agreements involving Russian oil, diesel and rare-earth minerals, even as Moscow continues its bombardment of Ukrainian cities.
The potential backchannel arrangement risks provoking Ukrainian and European officials, who fear money reaching the Kremlin could help finance Putin’s war. Trump may also face resistance from Republicans in Congress.
The reported strategy comes only weeks after Trump signed legislation imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia and countries that conduct business with it.
Coale has spent more than a year testing the approach in Belarus. There, he helped secure the release of about 500 political prisoners held by authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko in exchange for sanctions relief.
That effort helped lay the foundation for the “massive” fertilizer agreement Trump promoted on Truth Social last week. Coale told The Atlantic that Russia is involved because the fertilizer would probably need to pass through Russian territory before reaching global markets.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Washington has generally steered clear of commercial agreements involving Moscow.
Donald Trump has reportedly approved a Cold War-style plan to trade sanctions relief for the release of political prisoners held by Vladimir Putin’s Russia
The proposal would allow US officials to pursue deals involving Russian oil, diesel and rare-earth minerals while Moscow continues attacking Ukrainian cities
The reported arrangement could anger Ukrainian and European leaders, who fear funds reaching the Kremlin would help finance Putin’s invasion
“All this stuff works toward the possibility of peace,” Coale told The Atlantic.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to oppose any easing of sanctions against Russia before the war is over. Still, he acknowledged that countering the influence of Russian money would be difficult.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the Belarusian opposition leader, cautioned that such exchanges could reward governments for taking hostages. “They can always arrest more people,” she told The Atlantic.
The White House this week nominated Coale to become special presidential envoy for hostage affairs. He must appear before senators for confirmation before formally taking the post.
Trump returned to the White House last year after repeatedly promising on the campaign trail that he could end the war within 24 hours.
Since then, he has spoken with Putin several times and dispatched his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to meet the Russian president at least seven times.
Trump also gave Putin a lavish reception at an Alaska summit in August 2025, but the discussions concluded without a ceasefire.
More than a year after that summit, Trump continues to pursue a peace agreement as Russian forces press on with attacks against Ukrainian cities.
The United States has mostly avoided trade agreements with Russia since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine
Coale has spent more than a year road-testing the formula in Belarus, where he secured the release of roughly 500 political prisoners from dictator Alexander Lukashenko
Prisoners released as part of Coale’s recent deal pictured above
Trump hosted Putin at a peace summit in Alaska last year, marking the Russian leader’s first visit to the US since launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
But the talks ended without a ceasefire, and more than a year later, the two countries remain at war.
The war has started to place a financial toll on Russia that risks unraveling Putin’s iron grip on Russia. In the last few months, Ukraine has stepped up strikes on Russian oil refineries and military targets using homegrown long-range drones.
US intelligence has also helped Ukraine hit Russian energy facilities, while improvements to its drones and increased production have allowed Kyiv to launch larger attacks.
The attacks have disrupted Russia’s fuel supplies, pushed up prices and left drivers facing long lines at gas stations.
