US-Russia Ukraine talks involve major oil deal

The Trump administration’s talks with Russia on ​ending the war in Ukraine have expanded ‌to include a multibillion-dollar oil deal that would benefit Middle Eastern business executives with ties to US negotiators Steve ​Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the New York ​Times reported on Saturday.

The deal, which is contingent ⁠on approval from the US government and the ​Kremlin, involves a sprawling set of oil fields, ​refineries and gas stations around the world owned by Russian energy group Lukoil according to the report.

The White House, the ​US Treasury Department and Lukoil didn't respond to ​requests for comment outside regular business hours.

The group pursuing the ‌deal ⁠includes US investor and billionaire Todd Boehly, two Middle Eastern groups that have done business with Kushner or Witkoff's family, and an arm of the ​US government, ​the newspaper ⁠said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the deal during a September 5 meeting with ​Witkoff and Kushner at the Kremlin, the ​NYT ⁠said citing people familiar with the meeting. Putin proposed completing the deal as a way to show ⁠Russians ​they could do business with ​the United States, one of the people said.

-Reuters