Reuters: US And Russia Have Been Discussing Energy Deals Behind The Scenes
2- 26.08.2025, 10:34
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This is part of Washington's strategy to weaken ties between Russian Federation and China.
U.S. and Russian officials discussed several energy deals on the sidelines of talks in August. The proposals were seen as an incentive for the Kremlin to agree to peace in Ukraine and for Washington to ease sanctions against Russia.
This was reported by Reuters.
According to the agency, Moscow has lost access to international investment in the energy sector since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It has also been banned from entering into major agreements.
Possible projects and the return of Exxon Mobil
According to three sources, the possibility of Exxon Mobil returning to the Sakhalin-1 project was discussed. Another idea was to supply US equipment for Russian LNG projects such as Arctic LNG 2, which are under Western sanctions.
Reuters also reported that the idea of the US buying Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers was discussed. The sources emphasized that the talks were not publicly commented on.
Meetings in Moscow and Alaska
The talks took place during a visit by U.S. special envoy Steve Whitkoff to Moscow, where he met with Vladimir Putin and his representative Kirill Dmitriev. Two sources said the topic was also discussed at the White House with Donald Trump.
The deals were also brought up at a summit in Alaska on Aug. 15. "The White House really wanted to make headlines after the Alaska summit by announcing a major investment deal," one of the interlocutors said. "That's how Trump feels he's accomplished something."
Reaction and no comment
U.S. officials said talks with Russia and Ukraine were continuing for the sake of stopping the war. "It is not in the national interest to discuss these issues further in public," a White House spokesman said.
A spokesman for Dmitriev declined to comment. Exxon Mobil also did not comment. "Rosneft" and "Novatek" did not respond to reporters' requests.
Sanctions threats and Trump's trade style
Trump threatened new sanctions against Russia if peace talks fail. He is also ready to impose stiff tariffs against India, one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil.
Earlier this year, options to resume Russian gas supplies to Europe were discussed. However, the plans were blocked by Brussels, which intends to completely stop importing Russian gas by 2027.
The latest talks have shifted the focus to bilateral agreements between the US and Russia. This demonstrates a shift away from a format involving the EU, which remains a staunch supporter of Ukraine.
On the day of the Alaska summit, Putin signed a decree allowing foreign investors, including Exxon Mobil, to return stakes in Sakhalin-1. A condition is support for lifting Western sanctions on Russia.
Arctic LNG 2 and competition with China
Exxon left Russia in 2022 after invading Ukraine, writing off $4.6 billion in losses. Its 30% stake in the Sakhalin-1 project was seized by the Kremlin.
The Arctic LNG 2 project has faced several packages of U.S. sanctions, including a ban on specialized vessels. Despite this, the plant resumed processing gas in April, albeit in limited volumes.
Washington is considering pushing Moscow to buy American technology instead of Chinese. It is part of a strategy to weaken ties between Russia and China.
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