Officials of the US and Russia have discussed several energy agreements on the sidelines of negotiations this month with the aim of achieving peace in Ukraine, according to five sources in Reuters.

These agreements were proposed as incentives to encourage the Kremlin to agree to Peace in Ukraine and Washington to relax sanctions against Russia

Russia has been cut off from most international investment in its energy sector and by the conclusion of significant agreements due to sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022.

What was discussed

Officials discussed the possibility that Exxon Mobil reintroduced in the Russian oil and gas project Sakhalin-1, they reported three sources.

They also put Russia buying US equipment for liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, such as Arctic LNG 2, which is subject to western sanctions, four sources said.

Another idea was the US market from Russia’s nuclear icebreaker ships, according to a Reuters report on August 15.

The talks took place during the visit of US envoy Steve Whitkov to Moscow earlier this month, when he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his envoy to Kiril Dmitryv, according to three sources. They were also discussed at the White House with US President Donald Trump, according to two sources.

These agreements were also briefly discussed at the Alaska Summit on August 15, according to one source.

“The White House really wanted to take a headline after Alaska’s summit, announcing a large investment agreement,” one of the sources said. “So Trump feels he has achieved something,” he added.

Trump and the National Security Team continue to work with Russian and Ukrainian officials aimed at a bilateral meeting to stop the murders and end the war, a White House official said in answering questions about the agreements. It is not in the national interest that public negotiations on these issues continue, the official said.

A Dmitryev spokesman refused to comment.

Exxon Mobil refused to comment. Rosneft and Novatek did not respond to requests for comments.

Sanctions

Trump threatened to impose more sanctions on Russia, unless the peace talks make progress, and to impose strict duties on India, an important Russian oil buyer. These measures would make Russia difficult to maintain the same level of oil exports.

Trump’s negotiating way of policy has already been shown in talks about Ukraine, when earlier officials have explored ways for America to rejuvenate Russian gas flows to Europe. These plans have been delayed by Brussels, which have submitted proposals for the complete abolition of imports of Russian gas by 2027.

The latest discussions have shifted to bilateral agreements between the US and Russia, removing the European Union, which, as a bloc, has remained stable in its support for Ukraine.

On the same day as the summit in Alaska, Putin signed a decree that could allow foreign investors, including Exxon Mobil, recover shares in the Sakhalin-1 project. This depends on whether foreign shareholders will take steps to support the lifting of Western sanctions against Russia.

Exxon left its activities in Russia in 2022 after the invasion of Ukraine, loss of $ 4.6 billion. 30% of its shares in the Sakhalin-1 project in the Far East of Russia were seized by the Kremlin that year.

The US has imposed several sanctions on the Russian project Arctic LNG 2 from 2022. The project is a majority in Novatek, which began working with Washington last year, trying to restore relations and lift sanctions.

The Arctic LNG 2 plant restarted gas processing in April, albeit at a low rate, according to Reuters. This year, tankers subject to sanctions have received 5 gas loads. A production unit had previously been closed due to difficulties in export due to sanctions.

This project was intended to have three liquefied natural gas treatment plants. The third is in design stage, with technology expected to get from China.

Washington seeks to push Russia to buy American technology instead of Chinese, in the context of a broader Chinese alienation strategy and weakening relations between Beijing and Moscow, according to one sources.

China and Russia declared a strategic collaboration “without limits” a few days before Putin sent troops to Ukraine. Si has met Putin over 40 times in the last decade, and Putin has described China in recent months as an ally.