US-Russia Talks in Alaska: Potential Rapprochement in Aviation

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.

Telegram channel Inside Avia emphasizes that allowing U.S. carriers into our airspace without those very royalties is not the most realistic scenario, because it would allow the U.S. to save money and earn more. For example, a flight route from Delhi (India) to Los Angeles (USA) on a Boeing 777-300ER without using the Trans-Siberian Route takes 16 hours 50 minutes with fuel consumption of approximately 155 tons. Flying through Russia would take 14 hours 30 minutes (2 hours 20 minutes less), and fuel consumption would decrease by approximately 20 tons.
"Charity has no place in aviation, especially in a situation like this," the editors emphasized.

The editors of the Telegram channel AviaNews suggest that only benefits for select American airlines may be under discussion, while a complete elimination of overflight royalties is unlikely. The Trans-Siberian route has been a subject of negotiations for decades (even before the conflict). The authors emphasize that the bulk of U.S. civilian traffic to Asia goes across the Pacific, and the closure of Russian airspace has affected cargo carriers UPS and FedEx on Asia-Europe routes more severely than passenger flights. Washington may only raise the issue of Trans-Siberian overflights "as part of a package" as a possible political gesture.

Relations with Boeing: Are There Any Prospects?

At AviaNews they are skeptical about the chances of returning to official cooperation between Russia and Boeing. This is primarily due to geopolitics: without concrete agreements in place, it's premature to expect any real steps from Washington. Moreover, the editors note, Boeing has a full order book and doesn't need new orders, and can solve its problems without Russia. Additionally, Russia has already committed to ramping up production of its own mainline aircraft (the MS-21, SJ-100, and Il-114), and a return to large-scale purchases of new Boeing aircraft would be seen as a strategic retreat.

Inside Avia names domestic business among potential parties interested in launching Boeing aircraft production for Russian carriers, specifically VSMPO-AVISMA, one of the world's largest titanium suppliers. Its customers include the American aircraft manufacturer. Against the backdrop of recent news about negotiations, VSMPO-AVISMA shares have gained nearly 40% in just one month.