Trump expresses willingness to engage in business after war
Former President Donald Trump recently expressed his readiness to conduct business with both Ukraine and Russia following the conclusion of the ongoing war. His remarks came in response to a question about Russia’s interest in developing gas projects in Alaska, as reported by the Financial Times and The New York Times.
Speaking about the situation, Trump emphasized his desire to return to a “normal life” once the conflict initiated by Russia comes to an end. He recalled a deal regarding natural resources with Ukraine and criticized his successor, President Joe Biden, for supporting Ukraine during his administration. Trump reiterated his belief that the Biden administration provided Ukraine with weapons and financial assistance amounting to $350 billion.
“I have nothing to say about this other than that, of course, I would do business with Ukraine and, I think, with Russia after the end of this war,” Trump concluded.
It’s noteworthy that Trump has been exploring agreements with Russia even before the war’s end, contrary to his previous statements. Media reports indicate that in addition to the easing of sanctions on Russian diesel, he might be planning further relaxations of restrictions, particularly concerning Russian fertilizers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also indicated that there could be potential agreements regarding gas following the diesel arrangement between the U.S. and Russia.
Context
- In February 2025, The New York Times reported that the Kremlin was actively encouraging American businesses to rebuild economic ties with Russia, promising significant profits, while the Trump administration appeared receptive to these signals without strict conditions or sanctions at the initiation of negotiations.
- Kirill Dmitriev, a special representative of the illegitimate Russian President Vladimir Putin, reportedly urged Trump’s envoy, Witkoff, to involve American companies in major investment projects in Russia and the Arctic, including utilizing $300 billion in Russian assets frozen by European sanctions, joint resource extraction in the Arctic, and the restoration of the “Nord Stream 2” gas pipeline, among other energy and commercial ventures.
- In February 2026, heads of four European intelligence agencies informed Reuters that Moscow was utilizing ongoing peace negotiations with the U.S. regarding Ukraine to lift sanctions and finalize business agreements.
- Details of potential offers were described by The Economist, stating that prior to the August 2025 meeting between Putin and Trump, the Kremlin, via Dmitriev, proposed participation in major energy and Arctic projects in Russia for American investors, implying potential sanction relief.
- Dmitriev was frequently mentioned in journalistic inquiries during that time. The Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service identified him as one of three individuals in Russia controlling its Arctic reserves of rare earth materials, oil, and gas.
- On February 19, the NYT reported that Texas investor Gentry Beach secretly signed an agreement with one of Russia’s largest energy companies, Novatek, in the fall of 2025; Beach had been Trump’s inaugural committee finance chair in 2017 and is a college friend of Donald Trump Jr.
- In September, it was revealed that another friend of Donald Trump Jr. financed his lavish wedding in the Bahamas, with that individual being a close ally of Putin, Russian oligarch Umar Kremlinov.
