U.S. and Russian officials quietly explored energy deals this month alongside negotiations aimed at ending the Ukraine war, according to an exclusive report published by Reuters. The proposals were framed as incentives for Moscow to agree to peace and for Washington to ease sanctions, sources said.
Among the ideas discussed were Exxon Mobil’s potential return to Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project, U.S. equipment sales for sanctioned LNG ventures like Arctic LNG 2, and even American purchases of Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers. These talks reportedly took place during U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to Moscow, where he met President Vladimir Putin and Kremlin investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev, and were also raised with President Donald Trump in Washington.
One source said the White House hoped to announce a major deal after the Alaska summit on August 15, reflecting Trump’s penchant for headline-driven diplomacy.
While Exxon, Rosneft, and Novatek declined to comment, the discussions highlight a shift from Europe-wide solutions toward bilateral U.S.–Russia deals, even as Trump continues to warn of tougher sanctions if peace efforts stall.
