A quiet but significant diplomatic overture is being made by Washington to Moscow, centered on energy cooperation, even as the US takes an aggressive public stance against India for its own energy relationship with Russia. This situation reveals a layered and complex foreign policy strategy.
The core of the US-Russia dialogue involves proposals designed to be incentives for peace talks in Ukraine. These include the potential re-entry of Exxon Mobil into the Sakhalin-1 project, a significant reversal of a previous sanction-related withdrawal. Further discussions have covered Russia buying US equipment for its sanctioned LNG projects.
This diplomatic engagement is unfolding against a backdrop of escalating trade tensions with India. President Trump has imposed a total of 50% tariffs on Indian goods, explicitly linking the penalty to the country’s procurement of Russian oil. The final implementation of these duties is imminent.
The talks were advanced during a recent trip to Moscow by US envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with top Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin. The proposals have reportedly been discussed within the White House, driven by a desire from President Trump to announce a “big investment deal” that he can frame as a major diplomatic win.