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Trump reportedly offering Putin natural resources off Alaska sparks fury
"Lets see Republicans defend this," former GOP Representative Adam Kinzinger wrote on X.
www.newsweek.com
Areport that President Donald Trump is preparing to offer Russian President Vladimir Putin economic incentives to encourage him to end the war in Ukraine—including opening up access to natural resources off Alaska's coast—has sparked anger online.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is exploring the economic trade-offs the U.S. can make with Russia in order to facilitate a ceasefire and peace agreement.
These include giving Putin access to the rare earth minerals in the Ukrainian territories Moscow partially occupies, as well as opportunities to tap into the natural resources in the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia's eastern coast.
There has been no confirmation that such a proposal is on the table, and Newsweek has contacted the White House and the office of Alaska's governor for comment. The Telegraph cited a White House statement that it did not comment "on deliberative conversations that may or may not be happening."
This split image shows Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump. Getty Images
But social media users have responded with anger at the prospect of opening up Alaska's natural resources to Russian interests, including Trump critic and former GOP representative Adam Kinzinger who posted on X: "Let's see republicans defend this."
Why It Matters
Trump's America First policy has seen him strike mineral deals with Ukraine and Kazakhstan. While the Telegraph report has not been verified and there are few details, the prospect of opening up resources near Alaska to Putin would bolster Russia's strategic interests in the Arctic region.What To Know
Trump will meet Putin at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday as the U.S. leader hopes for a breakthrough in the three-and-a-half-year war, following previous negotiations involving his envoy Steve Witkoff and the Russian president's rejection of a U.S. ceasefire proposal.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, is seen on August 13, 2025. DREW ANGERER/Getty Images
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The Telegraph report said he would present Putin with commercial opportunities in occupied Ukrainian territory as well as the Bering Straits, and that Bessent was exploring the economic trade-offs the U.S. could make with Russia—such as lifting American sanctions on Russia's aviation industry—to expedite a peace deal.
Ukraine is estimated to hold 10 percent of the world's reserves of lithium—which is used in the production of batteries— and two of its largest lithium deposits are in Russian-occupied territory. Meanwhile, the area beneath the Bering Straits is thought to hold significant undiscovered oil and gas reserves.
What People Are Saying
The White House would not comment on the report, telling The Telegraph: "We do not comment on deliberative conversations that may or may not be happening. As the president stated, everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and that is what he is working towards."But the prospect of Russia tapping resources so close to the U.S. mainland has sparked an angry response.
Kinzinger posted on X: "so hang on.... Trump is going to offer to open up F*** ALASKA TO THE RUSSIANS?? Wow. Let's see republicans defend this."
Other X users were also exercised about the reported proposal.
X user Amy Coplan wrote: "No, no, & no! It's not Trump's place to offer Alaska's resources, just as it's not his place to offer any of Ukraine! He's neither a king nor an emperor."
X user MM posted: "If true, under no circumstance can this be allowed. The president does not own America's resources. PERIOD."
Pro-Ukrainian X user Kate from Kharkiv wrote: "Americans, are you ok with offering Alaskan natural resources to russia?"
Andreas Østhagen, from the Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Oslo, told Newsweek Anchorage was the natural location for the presidents to discuss the surrounding strategic region, with oil and gas exploration, developing the Northern Sea route, and fishing as areas of mutual interest that could be on the agenda.
He said that joint exploration in shared areas like the Chukchi Sea, north of the Bering Strait, could be considered.
However, offering financial incentives to Putin would be at odds with economic sanctions Trump had threatened previously if Russia refused a ceasefire. He reiterated these Wednesday after a call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Kyiv's allies.
Sanctions have roiled Russia's economy and Trump could use tougher measures as leverage over Putin, said Richard Portes, professor of economics at London Business School.
"The Russian economy is in deep trouble and its decline would be accelerated if we were to apply sanctions as fully and rigorously as we could and as Trump sometimes thinks that thinks that he wants to do," Portes told Newsweek.
According to Russia's Ministry of Finance, the country's federal budget has a deficit 4.4 times higher than this time last year. A labor shortage, state bailouts for firms and a high key interest rate have added to turbulence.
"There is a significant slowdown and I think that slowdown will accelerate if serious economic pressure is applied, Putin is playing a weak hand," Portes added.