<?xml version="1.0" encoding="US-ASCII"?>
<!-- Generated by Broadridge Transform (tm) - http://www.broadridge.com -->
<!-- Created: Fri Jun 26 21:21:20 UTC 2026 -->
<xs:schema elementFormDefault="qualified" targetNamespace="http://www.lfg.com/20260626" xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:us-types="http://xbrl.us/us-types/2009-01-31" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xmlns:ck0001048606="http://www.lfg.com/20260626" xmlns:dtr="http://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31" xmlns:xbrli="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance">
  <xs:annotation>
    <xs:appinfo>
      <link:linkbaseRef xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ck0001048606-20260626_lab.xml" xlink:arcrole="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink/properties/linkbase" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/labelLinkbaseRef"/>
      <link:linkbaseRef xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ck0001048606-20260626_pre.xml" xlink:arcrole="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink/properties/linkbase" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationLinkbaseRef"/>
      <link:linkbaseRef xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ck0001048606-20260626_def.xml" xlink:arcrole="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink/properties/linkbase" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/definitionLinkbaseRef"/>
    </xs:appinfo>
  </xs:annotation>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance" schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-instance-2003-12-31.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/negated" schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/lrr/role/negated-2009-12-16.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31" schemaLocation="https://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31/types.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://xbrl.sec.gov/vip-n4/2026" schemaLocation="https://xbrl.sec.gov/vip/2026/vip-n4-2026.xsd"/>
<!-- [WMV7][pq2apIcOveaG0ZH0ZChjJoGb2NpltBEv12Lf3B0t5UoCXM688ylvEAWQX7DY3gFagfvQaYK7fjbv2upjL+ASOa5eFS0Ej/+s/JbahuuGe2cmpHdJXY57ymZbWyQ2sgX6aCDK1KrpoZZLwZUJ0d7UY1aqhhzbb073lRFysYWrR5td2Tkv7PkdqNls1GFJnHwgLEqvrpU7oL0Hnpv2DW+rmPBHHFeO1DUxTCDO5InOZhda1GrNGgMLNAwKi92kWeoi79EbE1yOu4q5trH7AvdLJaEztEULa6ehFsC5xDdrYj9mF+uxK2ZM03BMfJ8FAHTKImPZUsQ5c/CYqxsvMGQdNOncnT7Q13pZgHPmurWUUqfYofFk4vipMEjFZxQ+x5acedWgPUlimdwC+BySZuWm9QVXMX3WfRpZQ5maK+E=] CSR-->
  <xs:element name="PutnamVTUSResearchFundClassIBMember" type="dtr:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" id="ck0001048606_PutnamVTUSResearchFundClassIBMember"/>
</xs:schema>