U.S. shifts from oligarch pursuit to tackling drug cartels
Prosecutors from the Task Force KleptoCapture, a team of the U.S. Department of Justice targeting Russian oligarchs, will return to their previous positions, Reuters reports. The White House intends to shift focus to combating drug cartels.
The Task Force KleptoCapture was established by the Biden administration to, among other objectives, prevent Russian oligarchs from bypassing sanctions. This was designed as part of the pressure strategy on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
"The task force brought indictments against aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska and TV tycoon Konstantin Malofeyev for alleged sanctions busting, and seized yachts belonging to sanctioned oligarchs Suleiman Kerimov and Viktor Vekselberg," Reuters recounts.
The Trump administration decided on a change, specifically that the U.S. Department of Justice should focus its efforts on drug cartels.
"Cases investigated by the task force are likely to continue, but the work will no longer be centralized at Justice Department headquarters," Reuters reports. "Prosecutors assigned to the task force will return to their previous posts. The changes will be in effect for at least 90 days and could be renewed or made permanent, according to the directive," the agency adds.
Thaw in Washington-Moscow relations
Following the change of administration in the U.S., there was a warming in relations between Washington and Moscow. Both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin had previously expressed willingness to meet. Reuters reported that the President of the United States aims to address ending Russia's war with Ukraine to fulfill a campaign promise.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN that the Kremlin and the White House have not yet initiated discussions about a possible meeting between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Leonid Slutsky, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament), was quoted by the RIA Novosti agency as saying that Trump and Putin could meet in February or March, and preparations for the U.S.-Russia summit are at an "advanced stage."
