US offered Russia billions in asset relief for partial Ukraine ceasefire, NYT reports
The New York Times reported Washington raised unlocking frozen Russian assets and reviving a Lukoil asset sale as incentives for an energy or maritime truce.
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The United States offered Russia three economic incentives to secure a partial ceasefire in the war with Ukraine, covering either energy facilities or maritime targets, officials familiar with the discussions told The New York Times, as reported by Romania's Știrile ProTV. Washington raised the possibility of unlocking billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets held in the West, according to the officials cited by the NYT.
The frozen assets were described as an initial incentive for a partial truce, not a reward for carrying it out, the NYT reported. American negotiators also revived a plan to sell Lukoil's foreign assets, with a Middle East-based investor group expected to be the buyer, according to the same report.
The Financial Times reported that bidders for Lukoil's foreign assets include Todd Boehly, co-owner of Chelsea football club, Sheikh Tahnoon, brother of the president of the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar's Al-Khayyat family. The NYT said all three were described as having business ties to the Trump and Witkoff families; ECTV has not independently verified this claim.
Trump's negotiators separately revived a US proposal that would allow Belarus, a Kremlin ally, to resume exports of potash fertiliser, the NYT reported. The stage these negotiations have reached was not specified.
In September, when Trump's team opened a new diplomatic channel on the margins of the UN General Assembly, Ukrainian officials were 'astonished' at how far US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had gone in their proposals to Russia, according to the NYT. Kyiv did not reject the proposals outright but insisted on clear guarantees, the paper reported, including dollar-for-dollar reimbursement from frozen Russian assets or guarantees of further military aid if any truce were broken.
Witkoff and Kushner visited Moscow again on 5 September before travelling to Kyiv the following day. During that Moscow meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally raised the question of selling Lukoil's assets, the NYT reported.
What we know
- 2+ outlets · Censor.net, Știrile ProTV The US offered Russia economic incentives for a partial energy or maritime ceasefire, the NYT reported.
- 2+ outlets · Censor.net, Știrile ProTV Washington raised unlocking billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets as an initial incentive, not a reward for compliance.
- 2+ outlets · Censor.net, Știrile ProTV US negotiators revived a plan to sell Lukoil's foreign assets to a Middle East-based investor group.
- 2+ outlets · Censor.net, Știrile ProTV A separate US proposal would let Belarus resume potash fertiliser exports.
- 1 outlet · Censor.net Kyiv sought guarantees including dollar-for-dollar reimbursement from frozen assets or further military aid if any truce were broken.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed The stage reached in the frozen-assets and Lukoil negotiations.
- Unconfirmed The FT's claim that Lukoil bidders have business ties to the Trump and Witkoff families.
- Unconfirmed Whether Russia has agreed to any partial ceasefire terms.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
A deal unlocking frozen Russian assets would reopen one of the most contested issues of Western sanctions policy, since European governments hold the bulk of those assets and have resisted releasing them without concessions from Moscow. The reported discussions ran alongside the energy-ceasefire claims Trump made the same day, and Kyiv's insistence on guarantees reflects its wariness after previous US proposals to Russia, which Ukrainian officials said went further than expected in September.
Sources
Reported by 2 reports from 2 independent outlets in 2 countries.
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Questions and answers
- What did the US reportedly offer Russia?
- Incentives for a partial ceasefire covering energy or maritime targets, including the possible unlocking of frozen Russian assets, according to the NYT.
- Who is said to be buying Lukoil's foreign assets?
- A Middle East-based investor group, which the FT reported includes Todd Boehly, Sheikh Tahnoon and Qatar's Al-Khayyat family.
- What did Ukraine ask for in return?
- Guarantees such as dollar-for-dollar reimbursement from frozen Russian assets or additional military aid if any truce were violated, the NYT reported.
This article was written with AI assistance from 2 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.