Kremlin denies US sanction relief talks for prisoner releases

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday denied reports that Moscow and Washington had discussed easing US sanctions against Russia in exchange for prisoner releases, rejecting a claim by The Atlantic magazine that President Donald Trump had backed such an initiative.

"It was not discussed, and in such a formulation it could not have been discussed, because we categorically deny the existence of any political prisoners and consider such a framing of the issue completely inappropriate," Peskov told a press briefing in Moscow, though he noted that the two countries' intelligence services remained in contact regarding prisoner exchanges.

S-400 systems and regional tensions

On the possible transfer of Russian S-400 air defense systems currently in Türkiye to another country, Peskov confirmed that discussions were ongoing, adding that Moscow had also noted statements from Poland and other European countries concerning a potential blockade of Russia's Kaliningrad exclave. The Russian Embassy in London warned on Tuesday that Moscow would respond to any such blockade "using all means at its disposal," including nuclear weapons, according to the mission's statement.

Relations with Kazakhstan

Peskov separately welcomed Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's recent remarks describing Russian President Vladimir Putin as an "outstanding political figure," saying the two leaders enjoy close, constructive relations that allow them to discuss difficult international issues including efforts to reach a settlement in Ukraine. Putin regularly updates Tokayev on the situation in Ukraine during their meetings, Peskov added.