Washington is reportedly planning to resume Russian natural gas shipments to Europe via Ukraine as part of negotiations for an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
US, European and Ukrainian officials told the newspaper that US President Donald Trump’s representatives, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, proposed using an American intermediary for Russian natural gas sales during visits to Moscow and Kiev in September.
The alleged proposal would bypass European sanctions and allow Russian gas to return to the European market, potentially creating a lucrative opportunity for US investors.
Negotiators reportedly viewed regaining access to the European natural gas market as a major incentive to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a broader cease-fire with Kiev.
According to the report, a White House official proposed holding the revenue in a secure escrow account in a third country to prevent Moscow from using the funds to finance its ongoing war, the report said.
The proposal would involve reactivating the Soviet-era pipeline network connecting Siberia’s Urengoy gas fields to Europe through Ukrainian territory.
The reported push conflicts with current EU regulations requiring all Russian natural gas imports to be phased out by the end of next year.
Before the war, Russia supplied 45 percent of Europe’s natural gas. That share has since fallen to 11 percent, with US liquefied natural gas (LNG) accounting for 30 percent of Europe’s consumption.
