US, Russia discuss energy deals amid Trumps tariffs on India over Russian oil import
According to sources, these proposals were intended as incentives to push the Kremlin toward agreeing to peace in Ukraine and to prompt Washington to ease sanctions on Russia.
PTC News Desk: The US and Russian government officials held talks and discussed several energy deals on the sidelines of negotiations this month that sought to achieve peace in Ukraine, according to sources familiar with the development.
According to sources, these proposals were intended as incentives to push the Kremlin toward agreeing to peace in Ukraine and to prompt Washington to ease sanctions on Russia. Since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russia has faced severe restrictions, cutting it off from most global investment in its energy sector and preventing major deals.
Officials reportedly discussed the possibility of Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) returning to Russia’s Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project, three sources confirmed. Exxon, the leading U.S. oil producer, has had multiple discussions with Rosneft, Russia’s state-owned oil company, about rejoining the project after receiving clearance from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control under both former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, a separate source noted.
Additionally, government officials considered allowing Russia to buy U.S. equipment for its LNG projects, including Arctic LNG 2, which is currently under Western sanctions, four sources said.
Another proposal under consideration was for the U.S. to buy nuclear-powered icebreaker vessels from Russia, Reuters reported on August 15.
According to three sources, these discussions took place during U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to Moscow earlier this month, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin and investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev. Two sources said the matter was also reviewed at the White House with Trump.
A White House official stated that Trump and his national security team remain engaged with Russian and Ukrainian officials to work toward a bilateral meeting aimed at ending the war and preventing further bloodshed. The official added that it is not in the national interest to negotiate these matters publicly.