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The US president expressed hope that Kyiv and Moscow would reach a peace agreement.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday, October 24, that Washington would be ready to do business with both Ukraine and Russia once their war ends. He expressed hope that Kyiv and Moscow would reach a peace deal, Anadolu reported.
Asked about Russia’s interest in investing in Alaska’s natural gas sector, Trump said he had no specific comment on the proposal but pointed to the prospect of renewed economic ties after the war.
“Certainly, we will do business with Ukraine and with Russia after this war ends,” Trump said.
Trump also referred to the US-Ukraine minerals agreement, saying its value could reach $1 trillion. He linked the deal to the assistance Washington provided Ukraine under former President Joe Biden, arguing that the United States should have sought compensation for its support.
The Financial Times recently reported that Russian gas producer Novatek may have been financing a US liquefied natural gas export project in Alaska without the necessary government approvals. Joel Riddle, the former chief executive of US LNG developer Polar Train LNG, accused Novatek of secretly controlling one of the company’s projects. The allegations prompted mass resignations among Polar Train LNG’s leadership amid concerns about potential violations of US sanctions.
However, the recent warming of relations between Washington and Moscow could indicate that the United States may support Russian participation in the project, the publication noted.
Trump recently postponed the introduction of new sanctions against Russia under the Graham bill and reached a diesel deal with Moscow. Both moves represented significant steps toward easing economic pressure on Russia and drew criticism from Ukraine and European countries.
The New York Times reported that Trump was considering the resumption of Russian natural gas supplies to Europe as a key element of a potential peace agreement. The Economist also reported that reopening the Nord Stream pipeline was among the proposals in the US peace plan.
Kyiv fears that economic interests could take precedence over achieving a lasting peace for some participants in the negotiations. The Economist warned that Trump’s envoys could strike lucrative deals with Russia before acceptable terms for ending the war and security guarantees for Ukraine had been established.
The Washington Post argued that Trump’s attempts to persuade Russia to end the war through attractive economic offers were failing because the Kremlin prioritized gaining control over Ukraine rather than enriching itself.
The newspaper said the White House’s “dollar diplomacy” was ineffective with dictators and argued that Trump was “pressuring the wrong side” of the war.