The Trump administration is considering business deals with Russia before the war in Ukraine ends, according to multiple reports citing officials close to the negotiations. This approach aims to provide economic incentives that could encourage Russian President Vladimir Putin to pursue a settlement.

Congress passed a new sanctions bill targeting Russia's energy sector earlier this week. President Trump signed the measure on Friday. The legislation imposes restrictions on Russian officials, energy projects, and the shadow fleet, along with potential 100 percent tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.

Despite the sanctions pressure, the White House is weighing separate economic agreements in areas such as energy, Arctic projects, rare earth metals, and aluminum production. Officials believe these deals could demonstrate a serious U.S. commitment to resetting relations with Moscow and help convince Russian elites to push for an end to the fighting.

The reported shift marks a change from Trump's earlier position. Last year, he stated that business cooperation would only resume after the war was settled. Recent meetings between U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Putin in early September included discussions of potential mutually beneficial projects, according to Kremlin statements.

Trump has described Russia's economic potential as tremendous and has emphasized his transactional approach to foreign policy. The strategy combines sanctions as leverage with positive incentives to achieve results where previous efforts stalled. Negotiations remain ongoing, with possible trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States mentioned for October.

Russian officials have floated various cooperation options since Trump began his second term. The administration's dual-track effort reflects a pragmatic focus on ending the prolonged conflict through direct economic engagement rather than prolonged standoffs.