Not just business: US business is ready for projects with Russia after the adoption of the agreement on Ukraine

Business and the US administration are interested in resuming cooperation with Russia while improving the geopolitical situation, Robert Agee, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham), told Izvestia. According to him, discussion of specific projects, including the potential holding of the Russia-USA business forum, is possible only after the signing of the peace agreement on Ukraine. However, the Russian Foreign Ministry explained to Izvestia that Ukraine does not demonstrate readiness for an agreement, so the agreements between the United States and Russia should work to force Kiev to make peace. Meanwhile, on March 9, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump had their first telephone conversation this year, which is capable of giving a new impetus to bilateral relations.

When will Russia and the United States discuss economic projects

The lack of progress in the Ukrainian settlement is the main obstacle to Russian—American business cooperation. The US administration and businesses from this country are interested in resuming cooperation with Russia while improving the geopolitical situation, Robert Agee, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Russian Federation (AmCham), told Izvestia.

— The Russian Federation, in our opinion, is an ideal place to host data centers, given the climatic conditions and energy capacities. However, even with hypothetical interest from high-tech companies, the implementation of such projects will require the lifting of US sanctions on the supply of high-tech equipment to Russia," he said.

The discussion of specific projects, as well as the holding of the Russia-USA business forum, can begin only after the signing of the peace agreement on Ukraine, Agee stressed.

— It is premature to talk about the Russia-USA business forum before the signing of the peace agreement. We see interest from American and Russian businesses, but it rests primarily on the need for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine," explained the head of AmCham.

Tension calculation: why did Trump get in touch with Putin

The presidents discussed the war in the Middle East — Russia can play the role of a key mediator

Robert Agee drew attention to the fact that in the event of a resumption of economic cooperation after the signing of the peace agreement, the energy sector could become one of the key areas, since the interests of Russian and American businesses directly intersect in it. At the same time, the use of the dollar is not an end in itself, both sides will use those mechanisms for bilateral settlement formats that are considered the most effective for specific projects.

On March 9, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump had their first telephone conversation this year. After the talks, the American leader announced that Washington would lift some of its sanctions against the oil industry of other countries. Earlier, the US Treasury has already relaxed a number of restrictions against Russian oil.

HSE analyst Egor Toropov told Izvestia that the potential for cooperation between Russia and the United States is high. Trade turnover between the two countries has fallen since 2022. For example, in 2021 it was $34 billion, and in 2025 it was just over $4 billion.

"The dynamics of the already recovering growth of economic relations in the coming years will also give a political impetus to the rapprochement of Russia and the United States in the form of a joint resolution of world conflicts,— Toropov stressed.

A practical consequence of the conversation for Russia may be targeted easing of the sanctions regime against Russian oil and gas exports, which will begin a full-scale restoration of economic ties between Russia and the United States, the expert believes.

There are indeed many prospects for cooperation between Russia and the United States. In particular, Moscow sees Washington's interest in joint development of the Arctic, Alexander Gusarov, head of the North Atlantic Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, said earlier in an interview with Izvestia. Russia is also counting on the restoration of direct flights, the "ball" is on the American side, the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed. Last year, Vladimir Putin invited American government agencies and companies to engage in joint projects for the extraction of rare earth metals.

How the conflict in the Middle East affects relations between Russia and the United States

However, the conflict in Ukraine remains a stumbling block, the peaceful end of which is consistently delayed by the authorities in Kiev.

The agreements between the United States and Russia should work to force Ukraine to make peace, as it does not demonstrate its willingness to reach an agreement, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large for crimes committed by the Kiev regime, told Izvestia.

— I see an increase from the Ukrainian side in the number of killed and injured civilians on our territory. We have 183 people injured by Ukrainian militants over the past week, 30 people were killed. This is the bloodiest week since the beginning of the year. This can be considered the background of the negotiation process and the demonstration that Ukraine does not want to negotiate anything under any circumstances," the diplomat stressed.

According to him, such a violation of international humanitarian law clearly does not work to improve the atmosphere for negotiations. And this is a direct "merit" of the Ukrainian side.

The Iranian vacuum cleaner: what the war in the Middle East is changing for Ukraine

Kiev faces a shortage of key weapons

So far, the negotiation process has stalled. After two rounds of Russia-USA-Ukraine meetings in Abu Dhabi and Geneva, the third stage of negotiations was postponed after the outbreak of the conflict between the United States and Israel with Iran on February 28. Then information appeared in the Ukrainian media about holding a new round in Istanbul on March 11, but this version was denied by Vladimir Zelensky. Special Envoy of the American president Steve Witkoff said that the trilateral meeting on Ukraine has been postponed to next week. He is in constant contact with his Russian colleagues, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed.

Moscow and Washington's attention is now largely focused on the Middle East. The Russian leadership is making strenuous efforts to end hostilities around Iran, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following a meeting between Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko and the ambassadors of Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and a representative of the Arab League in Moscow. The President of the Russian Federation held telephone talks with regional leaders earlier.

Egor Toropov believes that the conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, which took place in the context of the ongoing military operation in Iran, is a link in demonstrating the readiness of the American side to complete the campaign diplomatically in the coming weeks. At the same time, the United States will be satisfied, as in the Venezuelan scenario, with one change of individual leadership figures of the country — without a fundamental change in the political regime.

However, the recent actions of the United States against Venezuela and Iran, two strategic partners of the Russian Federation, have indirect consequences. In particular, this cannot have a positive effect on shaping the image of the United States as a negotiated power, Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics at Moscow State University, told Izvestia.

In his opinion, Russia and other countries, including Washington's allies, are closely monitoring the actions of the United States, analyzing the likelihood of aggressive and unpredictable actions on the part of the Trump administration. As a result, Moscow will be more cautious about any projects with the United States, including economic cooperation.