Russian officials explored the possibility of reviving plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow as a means of persuading US President Donald Trump to reset relations with the Kremlin, The Moscow Times reported on April 20, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The proposal, reportedly pitched as part of a broader “big deal” initiative following Trump’s electoral victory, involved the construction of a 150-storey skyscraper, with Trump himself envisioned attending a high-profile groundbreaking ceremony in the Russian capital.

According to the report, the Kremlin tasked several major Russian corporations – including state-controlled energy giant Rosneft, nuclear agency Rosatom, gold producer Polyus and aluminium firm Rusal – with preparing proposals to entice renewed cooperation with the United States. All four entities are currently under US sanctions.

“The key was speed, effect and spectacle – everything Trump intuitively values,” a source close to the Kremlin told The Moscow Times. Moscow’s City Hall was reportedly open to overseeing the project.

Trump first raised the idea of a Trump Tower in Moscow in 2013, with Russian oligarch Aras Agalarov expected to be a major partner. The project was later revived in 2015 by Russian-born American developer Felix Sater, but was shelved after Trump launched his presidential bid.

Plans for the skyscraper had included 250 luxury apartments, a 15-storey hotel, office space, a spa and a high-end parking facility.

It remains unclear whether the proposal has been formally presented to Trump or if it remains under consideration. The latest revelations come as Trump continues to hint at a potential breakthrough in ending the war in Ukraine, suggesting over the weekend that a deal between Moscow and Kyiv could be reached “this week.”

“Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on April 21. His team has also indicated that the US could withdraw from mediating peace efforts if talks stall.

As bne IntelliNews reported, governments from the Middle East to the Western Balkans have been scrambling since his re-election to offer The Trump Organization lucrative building opportunities in an effort to curry favour with the president.