Trump refutes reports, says have not eased sanctions against Russia

Donald Trump, on the other hand recently spoke to Russia President Vladimir Putin over the phone.

Washington, Feb 3: US President Donald Trump on Thursday refuted reports that his administration has eased sanctions against Russia. Earlier the Treasury Department reported that it has amended former president Barack Obama's most recent sanctions to allow US technology companies to export products to Russia.

However, Trump refuted the reports. "I haven't eased anything," he told reporters when asked if his administration has eased sanctions against Russia, which were imposed by the previous Obama administration in retaliation of the latter's alleged hacking into the emails and servers of the Democratic party and its presidential nominee.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said it is "common for Treasury after sanctions are put in place to go back and look at specific carve outs for different industries or products and services".

"It is a regular course of action that Treasury does often when sanctions are imposed," he said at his daily news conference.

PTI