US Presidential Administration Donald Trump is considering the possibility of concluding separate economic agreements with Russia even before the war against Ukraine has ended, reports The New York Times, citing US officials and other sources familiar with the discussions. The idea is to demonstrate to the Kremlin the seriousness of Washington’s intentions regarding a future «reset» in relations and to use economic cooperation as one of the incentives in the negotiations. No specific agreements have yet been finalised.
- The US is discussing possible agreements with Russia.
- They may be concluded even before the war ends.
- These areas include energy and investment.
- There is no consensus within Trump’s team.
- At the same time, Congress is stepping up sanctions pressure on Russia.
Washington may not wait for the war to end
Pros. information According to the NYT, the White House is discussing a scenario under which separate agreements between the US and Russia could be reached even without a fully-fledged peace agreement on Ukraine.
Potential areas of cooperation include energy, investment and other sectors, where American and Russian companies could, in theory, resume cooperation. Supporters of this approach within the administration believe that economic prospects could provide Moscow with an additional incentive in the negotiations.
At the same time, this not yet official US policy. These are the options currently being considered within the administration.
There are disagreements within Trump’s team
According to the NYT, there is no complete consensus within the US administration on how quickly Russia should be granted access to economic cooperation.
Some officials fear that economic incentives could, even before the war ends, to weaken Washington’s leverage over the Kremlin. Others regard business agreements as a tool that can help move negotiations forward.
Trump’s special envoy is involved in the search for alternative ways to reach an agreement Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They We recently visited Moscow, where, amongst other matters, potential major Russian-American economic projects were discussed.
Trump’s rhetoric on business with Russia is changing
As recently as 2 September, Trump said that good relations with Russia would be «brilliant for business», but at the same time he linked a new meeting with Putin to a time when the war would be drawing to a close.
The NYT report now suggests that his administration is considering a different sequence: some of the economic agreements could be implemented even before hostilities have come to a complete end.
This does not mean that Trump has already ordered the lifting of sanctions or the opening of the US market to Russian businesses. The implementation of any major projects will depend directly on the current US sanctions regime.
At the same time, Congress is imposing new sanctions against Russia
The situation stands out in stark contrast against the backdrop of Congress’s decision.
On 16 September, the US House of Representatives approved a major a package of sanctions against Russia, which has already been passed by the Senate and sent to Trump. The document imposes new restrictions on Russian banks, the energy sector, officials and tankers used to circumvent sanctions. The President will also be able to impose tariffs of up to 100% against major buyers of Russian energy resources.
Thus, the following co-exist in Washington: two approaches: Congress is seeking to step up economic pressure on Moscow, whilst some members of the Trump administration view future economic cooperation as a potential element of their negotiating strategy.
What this means for Ukraine
There is no question as yet of any signed agreements between the US and Russia. However, the very fact that they are being discussed before the end of the war could prove to be a significant factor in the negotiations.
Ukraine insists on maintaining and stepping up economic pressure on Russia. The President Volodymyr Zelenskyy backed the new US sanctions bill, viewing it as a way of reducing the Kremlin’s revenue, which is being used to prolong the war.
The main question, therefore, will be whether, Will Washington make any economic concessions to Moscow conditional on specific steps to end the war?, or whether some of the agreements might be implemented earlier. According to the NYT, no final decision has yet been taken on this matter.
