This is a hugely significant moment. For the first time in more than three years, Washington is lifting sanctions on Moscow instead of imposing them.
It’s the most tangible evidence yet of a US-Russia rapprochement, and a crystal clear signal of Donald Trump’s intentions to turn Vladimir Putin the pariah into Putin the partner.
For now, they’re only talking about easing a handful of restrictions so that Russia’s agricultural and fertiliser exports can return to global markets.
It has meant higher fees and delays in payments, even when it comes to cross-border trade with friendly nations.
That’s why Moscow wants sanctions to be lifted on Rosselkhozbank – the state-owned Russian agriculture bank – and for it to be reconnected to SWIFT.
Image: Perhaps the most galling thing for Ukraine will be that Putin seems to have secured this without giving up very much. File pic: AP
One could argue that it’s just one brick in what is still a whole wall of sanctions surrounding Russia. But its removal will nevertheless be massively symbolic.
Ukraine’s Western allies were in lockstep when they built that wall – now its powerful supporter is starting the process of bringing it down.
What’s more, there’ll be fears that Moscow could abuse America’s charity here, particularly when it comes to one of the Kremlin’s other demands – lifting restrictions on the supply of agricultural machinery to Russia.
Restrictions were imposed on agricultural machinery due to some components being classified as ‘dual-use’ goods, which could potentially aid Russia’s war machine.
What’s to say these fears won’t be realised? That parts meant for tractors and harvesters suddenly find their way into weapon production? Washington might be happy to take Moscow’s word for it, but Kyiv certainly won’t be.
Perhaps the most galling thing for Ukraine and its European allies, however, will be that Mr Putin appears to have secured this without giving up very much at all.
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4:01
Ukraine and Russia agree sea deal
Yes, Russia has agreed to a maritime ceasefire. But it’s a long way short of a full ceasefire, and it’s something that was first agreed back in July 2022 with the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Russia withdrew from that deal in 2023, unhappy at the obstacles facing its food and fertiliser exports – sound familiar?
Since then, attacks in the Black Sea have dropped off significantly. In fact, Ukrainian grain exports are pretty much back at pre-war levels already.
So, a maritime ceasefire may not actually make that much of a difference to the conflict itself. The bigger impact will be in Washington and Moscow.
For Mr Trump, it’s something to show off – proof that he’s taken a step closer to peace.
For Mr Putin, it’s Russia’s first step coming back in from the cold.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has been linked to a second group chat about sensitive military operations, which he reportedly shared with his wife, brother and personal lawyer.
The messages sent via the Signal messaging app are again understood to have contained details of an attack on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis in March.
The second chat group, initially reported by The New York Times, included about a dozen people. It revealed details of the schedule of the airstrikes, according to the Reuters news agency.
Two sources with knowledge of the matter told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News there were 13 people in the second chat group, and Mr Hegseth divulged the information despite an aide warning him about using an unsecure communications system.
Mr Hegseth’s wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, has attended sensitive meetings with foreign military counterparts, while his brother was hired at the Pentagon as a Department of Homeland Security liaison and senior adviser.
Responding to the latest chat group, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said: “No matter how many times the legacy media tries to resurrect the same non-story, they can’t change the fact that no classified information was shared.
“Recently-fired ‘leakers’ are continuing to misrepresent the truth to soothe their shattered egos and undermine the President’s agenda, but the administration will continue to hold them accountable.”
The “leakers” referred to in the White House statement are four senior officials who were ousted from the Pentagon last week as part of an internal leak investigation.
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4:11
Leaked war plans: ‘Fairly serious’
‘Hegseth put lives at risk’
The New York Times reported that the second chat – named “Defence | Team Huddle” – was created on Mr Hegseth’s private phone.
It detailed the same warplane launch times as the first chat.
Several former and current officials have said sharing those operational details before a strike would have certainly been classified, and their release could have put pilots in danger.
The row over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported to El Salvador from the US in error in March, continues to rock Washington DC.
US correspondent Martha Kelner speaks to Ron Vitiello, Donald Trump’s former acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, about the case and if the president’s border policies are working as he planned.
If you’ve got a question you’d like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.
Don’t forget, you can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.
NB. This interview was recorded before Kilmar Abrego Garcia was moved from the CECOT prison – where terror suspects are held in severe conditions – to another detention centre in El Salvador.
DHL Express is suspending some shipments to the US as Donald Trump’s new tariff regime takes effect.
From 21 April, shipments worth more than $800 (£603) to US consumers from “any origin” will be temporarily suspended.
New rules that came into effect at the start of April made such shipments subject to increased customs checks.
“This change has caused a surge in formal customs clearances, which we are handling around the clock,” said the parcel delivery service.
Shipments going from business to business worth more than $800 aren’t affected by the suspension, but DHL warned they may also face delays.
Shipments under $800 to either businesses or consumers are not impacted, but one British cycle manufacturer suggested its US customers may need to split orders over $800 into “smaller shipments” to avoid the red tape.
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1:07
Trump: Tariffs are making US ‘rich’
Trump targeting ‘deceptive’ practices
From May, shipments from China and Hong Kong that are worth less than $800 “will be subject to all applicable duties”, according to the White House.
“President Trump is targeting deceptive shipping practices by Chinese-based shippers, many of whom hide illicit substances, including synthetic opioids, in low-value packages,” it said in a statement.
Until now, deliveries worth less than $800 didn’t incur any duties, which allowed low-cost companies Chinese like Shein and Temu to make inroads in the US.
Both have warned their prices will now rise because of the rule changes, starting on 25 April.