Global
Diplomatic engagements between Washington and Moscow aimed at ending the Ukrainian conflict have expanded to incorporate a multi-billion-dollar oil arrangement involving assets of Russian energy giant Lukoil, The New York Times reported on Saturday. The proposed transaction, which remains contingent upon formal approval from both the Kremlin and the United States government, encompasses a vast array of Lukoil-owned oil fields, refineries, and fuel distribution stations. Eight individuals familiar with the months-long negotiations, speaking under anonymity due to diplomatic sensitivities, stated that these arrangements illuminate the Trump administration's strategy to halt the four-year war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Furthermore, three sources knowledgeable about a September 5 Kremlin meeting revealed that President Vladimir Putin personally proposed this initiative during talks with Witkoff and Kushner, presenting it as an avenue to demonstrate that Russian entities can successfully engage in commercial business partnerships with the United States.
