US media: The White House is considering lifting sanctions on Russian assets such as Nord Stream 2.

On April 24, Jin10 reported that, according to Politico citing five informed sources, the White House is discussing whether to lift sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline and other potential Russian assets in Europe as part of discussions to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The pipeline is a major link between Russia's gas fields and Western Europe, and lifting the current sanctions would mark a reversal of U.S. policy first implemented during Trump's first term. President Biden abandoned these sanctions early in his term but reinstated them after Russian President Putin launched a special military operation against Ukraine in 2022. Restarting Nord Stream 2 could bring an unexpected financial windfall to Moscow, provided that the EU agrees to purchase Russian gas through the pipeline again—given that the EU is working to reduce its reliance on Russian energy imports, this prospect seems unlikely. However, lifting sanctions would be a "diplomatic coup" for Russia and a significant concession from Trump.