This text is an automatic translation from Русский. It was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Read original →US-Russia Talks in Alaska: Potential Rapprochement in Aviation
Potential outcomes of the Alaska negotiations for the aviation industry: resumption of engine supplies for Boeing and Airbus, US access to the Trans-Siberian route, and prospects for cooperation with American aircraft manufacturers.
Made in USA, Fly in Russia
Currently, domestically produced aircraft account for less than 25% of the fleet operated by Russia's largest carriers, with the remainder consisting mainly of Airbus and Boeing planes. And while negotiations with the European supplier clearly won't be happening in Alaska, talks with American aircraft manufacturers are quite realistic. Especially considering that the number of these aircraft used by Russian airlines as of 2025 (according to industry experts) stands at approximately 200–250 units. Officially, they've been "cut off" from certified maintenance. Therefore, resuming cooperation with at least one of the two key aircraft suppliers could be of interest to Russian authorities.
Telegram channel AviaNews believes that a possible first step toward lifting aviation sanctions could be resuming supplies to Russia and servicing of engines: CFM56 for the A320ceo and Boeing 737NG, which form the backbone of carriers' medium-haul fleets; GE and Rolls-Royce engines for long-haul aircraft, for which no replacements are expected in the near future; as well as Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for the A320neo, and restoring access to aviation software and databases.
Inside Avia stated that if sanctions are lifted, Russian carriers could begin purchasing new medium-haul Boeing 737s (the -NG and -MAX models), long-haul Boeing 777s (latest generations), and Boeing 787s, all of which have proven themselves. And the country has everything necessary to operate them, since the American Boeing 737NG formed the core of Russian carriers' fleets before 2022 and continues to do so today. Significant parts shortages between 2022 and 2025 were avoided thanks to parallel import schemes.
Bargaining Over Air Routes?
American airlines are interested in the "Trans-Siberian Route"—the shortest aviation path from Europe to Southeast Asia, for which Aeroflot traditionally collected royalties for overflight rights. Its use has been prohibited to unfriendly airlines since the start of the special military operation, which has affected both the fuel consumption of American aircraft flying from the West Coast (Los Angeles and elsewhere) to Asia and their competitiveness, especially compared to Chinese carriers, who continue to enjoy this advantage. One possible interest of American business could be opening the route and eliminating the royalties.
