"The United States and other Western powers imposed sanctions on Russia in 2014 over its annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine and its support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine."-- REUTERS
The Zero Hedge article refers to "sanctions imposed that day [Dec. 29] by the outgoing Obama administration, which were levied in retaliation for alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election."
The Zero Hedge article also notes:
"While the transcripts of the conversations don’t show Mr. Flynn made any sort of promise to lift the sanctions once Mr. Trump took office, they show Flynn making more general comments about relations between the two countries improving under Mr. Trump, people familiar with them said."