Ummm, didn't the Trump Administration already ease sanctions against Russia to some extent?

[AntiFascist]

According to this report from Feb. 2nd, 2017

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-relaxes-u-s-sanctions-on-russia-imposed-under-obama/

The Trump administration appeared to loosen U.S. sanctions Thursday that the Obama administration had imposed against Russia in response to its cyberattacks in the 2016 presidential election.

...

and Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/trump-sanctions-russias-intelligence-agency-present-putin/

The U.S. Treasury department updated President Obama's sanctions against the Russia's Federal Security Service to allow U.S. companies to continue selling consumer technology to Russian citizens.

[MedusaX]

1. Yes&No. It is the 2014 Sanctions that are still in place which Putin needs lifted in order to

renew the Rosneft/Exxon partnership.

The 2016 sanctions... which Trump eased initially... were minimal in comparison.

[AntiFascist]

2. Minimal, but still it appears to be a QUID PRO QUO? n/t