Islam Times - US President Donald Trump’s envoys in negotiations with Moscow, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, view Russia as an “El Dorado” offering vast natural resources and major investment opportunities, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with their thinking. According to the report, both believe that lifting sanctions and reintegrating Russia into the global economy could generate profits for US investors while also helping stabilize relations with Ukraine and Europe.The West imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Moscow has repeatedly argued that the measures have failed in their stated goals and instead strengthened the country’s domestic economy.Witkoff has previously said that US companies could return to the Russian market once a peace agreement with Ukraine is reached.Trump has also expressed interest in joint projects with Moscow, particularly in the field of rare earth minerals, which have become a key issue in his fluctuating trade dispute with China.Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated openness to cooperation with the US on developing Russia’s rare earth deposits.Joint US-Russian ventures reportedly feature in Trump’s broader peace initiative on Ukraine.An early version of the plan, according to media reports, proposed unfreezing hundreds of billions of dollars in Russian assets held in the West and investing part of them in joint projects, with Washington receiving half of the profits.Another reported element of the proposal involved joint ownership of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, which has been under Russian control since 2022.Putin said on Thursday that during shuttle diplomacy talks, Witkoff and Kushner expressed interest in shared US control of the facility and even discussed using it for cryptocurrency mining.While the Kremlin has disclosed few details about the negotiations, Witkoff has described the latest round of talks as “productive and constructive.”

Source: Wall Street Journal December 27, 2025 21:50 UTC