State Dept set to hand back Russian dachas; tasked with plan on Russian sanctions last January

[jserraglio]

Trump administration moves to return Russian compounds in Maryland and New York

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/na ... 17de346e7d

The Trump administration is moving toward handing back to Russia two diplomatic compounds, near New York City and on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, that its officials were ejected from in late December as punishment for Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.

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How the Trump administration’s secret efforts to ease Russia sanctions fell short

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-admini ... 01145.html

In the early weeks of the Trump administration, former Obama administration officials and State Department staffers fought an intense, behind-the-scenes battle to head off efforts by incoming officials to normalize relations with Russia, according to multiple sources familiar with the events.