Exxon Mobil has applied to the Treasury Department for a waiver from U.S. sanctions on Russia in a bid to resume its joint venture with state oil giant PAO Rosneft, according to people familiar with the matter. The company originally applied for a waiver to gain access to the Black Sea in July 2015 but its application wasn’t approved, the person said. Congress has also launched an investigation into whether there were ties between aides to Donald Trump and Russia’s government during the presidential campaign and the political transition. Mr. Tillerson during his time at Exxon forged a close working relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and with Rosneft, a company that is critical to Russia’s oil-reliant economy. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal.

Source: Fox News April 20, 2017 02:37 UTC