U.S. proposes resuming Russian gas sales to Europe through American intermediary, but European officials firmly reject idea, WSJ reports
The United States has proposed a plan to Vladimir Putin that would let Russia sell its natural gas to Europe through an American intermediary, bypassing European sanctions, sources told The Wall Street Journal.
The United States has proposed a plan for Russia to sell its natural gas to Europe through an American intermediary, bypassing European sanctions, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, special envoys for Donald Trump, floated the idea during visits to Moscow and Kyiv in September.
The White House aims to have Russia deposit proceeds from gas sales into an escrow account in a neutral jurisdiction, preventing the Kremlin from using the funds to finance the war. The U.S. believes resuming Russian gas sales to Europe would incentivize Putin to agree to an energy truce in Ukraine, and the sales could provide Kyiv with income from transit fees, opening profitable opportunities for American investors.
European officials firmly reject the idea, categorically stating they will not resume buying Russian gas. One Scandinavian official likened resuming purchases to Neville Chamberlain's appeasement of Hitler, and another European official compared the plan to surrendering Czechoslovakia. The EU has committed to phasing out Russian liquefied natural gas by January 1, 2027.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated that Russian companies would redirect part of their LNG supplies to "friendly" countries. Russian and American officials reportedly discussed bringing an American investor into the Nord Stream pipeline projects in early October.
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