The key figure in these negotiations on the Russian side is Kirill Dmitriev, who for months has been spreading his vision of lucrative interests to the Trump administration. The plan, which was also worked on by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the US president’s son-in-law, consists of 28 points. This document goes far beyond military or territorial issues, focusing on revitalizing the Russian economy. The value of the game is on a market valued at two trillion dollars, and what is at stake is the dominance of American corporations in the mining and energy sectors.
Journalists point to the Kremlin’s strategic goal of driving a wedge between the United States and its traditional allies in Europe. Moscow is tempting Washington with multi-billion contracts, suggesting that American companies should be the first to benefit from the normalization of relations. Donald Tusk, the Polish Prime Minister, was said to have bluntly summarized these actions in his talks with Western leaders.
He tells you what to look out for in a franchise. “Then you know it’s a lie”
– We know this is not about peace. It’s about business – the American daily quotes the words of the head of the Polish government.
This strategy is based on bypassing standard diplomatic channels in favor of direct arrangements among a narrow group of business advisors. European officials are marginalized and sometimes even ignored in this process. An example is the situation in which Steve Witkoff refused to use secure connections to talk to EU partners, explaining that the system was inconvenient during frequent trips.
Raw materials, energy and rare earth metals
The foundation of the new opening is to be the exploitation of Russian natural resources. After the US and Russian leaders met in Alaska, European intelligence agencies came into possession of a report that caused shock in the capitals of the Old Continent. The document included details of plans for joint extraction of rare earth elements in the Arctic – raw materials crucial for modern technologies. This vision assumes close economic cooperation, which would become a guarantor of political stability.
American negotiators, coming from the world of big business, see these plans as a pragmatic solution to geopolitical problems. In an interview with the newspaper, Steve Witkoff presented an optimistic vision of the trilateral partnership between the US, Russia and Ukraine. In his opinion, the economic benefits for all parties would effectively discourage future armed conflicts.
– Russia has so many huge resources, huge tracts of land. If we do all this, and everyone prospers and everyone benefits, it will become a bulwark against future conflicts, argues Trump’s envoy.
A purely transactional approach can also be seen in the approach to Kiev’s needs. When the transfer of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine was refused, advisers suggested that the authorities in Kiev change their priorities. Instead of arms, Ukraine would seek a 10-year exemption from customs duties, which, according to American advisers, would give a huge boost to the local economy. Witkoff openly admits that his role is to “make deals.”
The great return of capital and the fight for Nord Stream 2
In parallel to the political talks, intensive preparations of the American private sector to return to the Russian market are underway. Oligarchs close to Putin, such as Gennady Timchenko or the Rotenberg brothers, send their representatives to meetings with investors from overseas. The offer is wide: from concessions for gas extraction in the Sea of ​​Okhotsk to the exploitation of deposits in Siberia and near Norilsk. Western security officials confirm that the talks concern specific locations and investment projects.
Also on the table are assets that have previously been subject to strict sanctions. Stephen Lynch, an investor and donor to the Trump campaign, is interested in taking over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. To obtain a license for such a transaction, he allegedly paid a lobbyist associated with the US president’s son. In turn, Gentry Beach is in talks to enter into gas projects in the Russian Arctic. The negotiations also concern the return of ExxonMobil to the Sakhalin 2 project and the possible purchase of Lukoil’s assets.
Although journalists found no hard evidence that these business activities were coordinated directly with Trump’s team, the reports sparked a wave of criticism. Supporters of a tough stance towards Moscow warn that the pursuit of profit comes at the expense of international security.
– Greed put before Ukrainian sovereignty. Churchill and Reagan are turning in their graves, commented Republican congressman Don Bacon sharply.
It is worth paying attention to the raw material context that drives these negotiations. Rare earth metals (REE) mentioned in the reports are a group of 17 chemical elements necessary for the production of advanced electronics, electric car engines, wind turbines and modern weapons. Currently, the global market for these raw materials is dominated by China, which controls most of the supply chain. Access to Russian resources in the Arctic and Siberia would allow the United States to diversify supplies and become independent from Beijing. From a purely economic perspective, control over these deposits is a strategic priority for Washington, which may even justify a controversial rapprochement with the Kremlin.
WSJ also revealed how the peace plan was born. According to the Wall Street Journal, in October, US President Donald Trump ordered his national security team to develop a plan to end the war in Ukraine, modeled on the plan for Gaza. Sources cited by Pravda.ua say that during a flight from the Middle East, after the agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas, Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, began to draft the first version of the plan, which eventually became the 28-point document. It was to be negotiated “three days before Halloween”, during several dinners held at Witkoff’s house.
