U.S. offered Russia energy deals as incentive during peace talks – Reuters

Reuters, citing five sources familiar with the negotiations, reported the information.

Sources told Reuters that these deals were proposed to entice the Kremlin to agree to peace in Ukraine and for Washington to ease sanctions on Russia.

Since the 2022 invasion, sanctions have blocked Russia from major energy deals, but officials reportedly discussed Exxon Mobil rejoining Sakhalin-1, Russia buying U.S. LNG equipment, and even U.S. purchases of Russian nuclear icebreakers.

The talks took place during U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s recent Moscow trip, where he met Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, three sources said. Two sources added that the proposals were also discussed with President Trump at the White House.

These deals were also briefly discussed at the Alaska summit on August 15, one source said.

“The White House really wanted to put out a headline after the Alaska summit, announcing a big investment deal,” said one of the sources. “This is how Trump feels like he’s achieved something.”

A White House official said Trump’s team is engaging with Russian and Ukrainian officials to end the war but declined to discuss the deals. Dmitriev and Exxon Mobil declined to comment, while Rosneft and Novatek did not respond.

Read also: Putin reasserts influence over U.S. president — former Trump adviser Bolton

Talks coincide with threats

Trump has threatened more sanctions on Russia and tariffs on India unless peace talks progress. Earlier, his team explored reviving Russian gas flows to Europe, but Brussels aims to phase out Russian imports by 2027.

Talks have shifted to the U.S.-Russia bilateral deals, moving away from the EU. The day of the Alaska summit, Putin signed a decree allowing foreign investors like Exxon to regain Sakhalin-1 shares if they push for lifting sanctions. Exxon left Russia in 2022, taking a $4.6B loss as its 30% stake was seized.

Since 2022, the U.S. has sanctioned Russia’s Arctic LNG 2, blocking needed ice-class ships. Majority owner Novatek has hired Washington lobbyists to push for sanctions relief.

Arctic LNG 2 resumed low-rate gas processing in April, with five sanctioned cargoes shipped this year. The project plans a third LNG train, using technology from China.

Washington aims to get Russia to buy U.S. rather than Chinese technology to weaken Beijing-Moscow ties. China and Russia formed a "no limits" partnership before the Ukraine invasion, with over 40 Xi-Putin meetings in the past decade.

Trump and Putin’s meeting in Alaska: background

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on the night of August 16 in a “3 on 3” format. The meeting lasted nearly three hours, marking their longest conversation to date. According to Trump, the summit was “productive,” and many issues were discussed, though not all of them were fully agreed upon, so there is no agreement yet.

The U.S. president said he would soon call NATO representatives, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leaders. He also noted that an agreement was nearly reached during the Alaska summit, and now a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin is planned with Trump’s participation.

On the morning of August 16, Trump spoke by phone with Zelenskyy, joined by several European leaders. During the conversation, Zelenskyy accepted Trump’s invitation to visit Washington on Monday, August 18.

Trump said that after his talks with Putin in Alaska, and following discussions with Zelenskyy and EU leaders, the parties concluded that the best way to end the war is to immediately conclude a peace agreement, skipping a temporary ceasefire.

Following the Alaska meeting, the leaders of Germany, France, Poland, Italy, and the United Kingdom, together with Zelenskyy, prepared a joint statement.