US mulled use of Russia icebreakers

16/8/2025 6:32

The United States has had

internal discussions on using Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker

vessels to support the development of gas and LNG projects in

Alaska as one of the possible deals to aim for when President

Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin on Friday, three sources

familiar with the matter told Reuters.



Trump landed in Alaska on Friday for what he called a "high

stakes" summit with Russia's Putin to discuss a ceasefire deal

for Ukraine and end the deadliest war in Europe since World War

Two.



Both the U.S. and Russian presidents, due to meet at a Cold

War-era air force base in Alaska's largest city, are seeking

wins from their first face-to-face talks since Trump returned to

the White House.



The icebreaker idea has been discussed among White House

officials as one of the potential deals to try to strike with

Russia at the Alaska summit, one of the sources said.



The ongoing talks between the U.S. and Russia over Ukraine

have included discussions about business deals. The White House

is planning to continue this approach at the summit on Friday,

said the source, who like the others spoke on condition of

anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.



The White House did not immediately respond to a request for

comment. Kremlin officials were not available for comment.



Russia operates the world's only fleet of nuclear-powered

icebreakers, which play a central role in maintaining year-round

shipping access along the Northern Sea Route, a strategic path

for global energy and trade flows.



Trump's administration is pushing to transport gas from

Alaska's remote north to Asian clients.



Trump has pitched Alaska LNG, a proposed $44 billion project

to ship liquefied natural gas along a 800-mile pipeline from

Alaska, to Asian buyers as a way to reduce their dependence on

Russian LNG.



Another project, similarly aimed at Asian markets, is Qilak

LNG, which is targeting 4 million tons per annum of LNG.



Qilak did not immediately respond to a request for

comment.



An industry source said that Alaska LNG had "no identified

needs for Russian icebreakers."



Reuters was not immediately able to establish which, if any,

specific project would benefit if a deal was reached in the

Alaska talks.



The nuclear icebreakers could also facilitate the transport

of construction materials and equipment to remote areas in

Alaska, where infrastructure is limited and weather conditions

are harsh.