US Considers Business Deals with Russia Before Ukraine War Ends, NYT Reports

The Trump administration is weighing new business agreements with Russia before the war in Ukraine ends, a move intended to signal Washington’s seriousness about resetting relations with Moscow, The New York Times reported, citing a U.S. official.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner are examining economic cooperation as a tool to advance a negotiated settlement, the Times said. The official added that the administration hopes to create incentives for Russian elites to advocate for peace and to persuade hardliners around President Vladimir Putin that President Donald Trump genuinely seeks a new relationship.

The Times also disclosed new details from a Kremlin meeting between Putin and the U.S. delegation. Putin reportedly claimed Russian forces could seize the entire Donbas region within months and said Moscow was preparing strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure that would cause severe difficulties for the coming winter.

Kushner challenged Putin’s assessment, noting the Russian leader had made similar predictions a year earlier. “What are the chances we won’t be here again in another year, and you’ll be saying the same thing? Maybe we shouldn’t waste a year?” Kushner asked, according to the report.

Specific business deals under consideration were not detailed. The outreach reflects a broader diplomatic effort to intertwine economic engagement with conflict resolution, though the approach remains tentative and unverified by official channels.