The Kremlin offered Trump's family shares in energy assets for lifting sanctions

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump during a meeting in Alaska on August 15, 2025. Photo: Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

According to these reports, the discussion may involve participation in oil and gas production in the Arctic, the development of rare-earth metal deposits, the creation of a data center with nuclear power supply, as well as the construction of a tunnel under the Bering Strait.

Sources claim that before last year's meeting between Vladimir Putin and Trump in Alaska, a document was prepared for the Russian Security Council proposing a large-scale economic deal to the American side. It described Russia as a country with vast reserves of Arctic and northern resources, in which funds from the US and other countries would allegedly be ready to invest. It was noted that this could bring significant profits and even contribute to the leaders of the two countries receiving Nobel Prizes. At the same time, the publication writes that Trump's representatives are particularly interested in shares in large projects capable of influencing global raw material markets.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, citing intelligence data, stated that Moscow offered Washington a $12 trillion deal in exchange for easing sanctions. However, The Economist notes that such estimates appear significantly exaggerated and may be designed to make the offer more attractive to Trump.

According to the publication's calculations, even with a resumption of import volumes and the return of foreign companies to the Russian market, potential profits would be significantly smaller. To approach the sum of $12 trillion, such revenues would have to be sustained for many decades. The article also suggests that in the event of renewed widespread trade and investment, the Russian economy could strengthen.

In the Trump administration, issues of resolving the war in Ukraine are handled by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who have maintained contacts with the Russian side. Earlier, the US proposed a peace plan coordinated with Kyiv and European allies, and several rounds of trilateral negotiations took place. According to Zelensky, Washington would like to end the war by June, as later the White House's attention will be focused on the midterm elections.

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