Washington is reportedly planning to resume Russian natural gas shipments to Europe via Ukraine as part of negotiations to reach an energy cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, according to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal.
US, European and Ukrainian officials reportedly told The Wall Street Journal 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 Kyiv in September.
The alleged proposal would circumvent European sanctions and allow Russian natural gas to return to the European market, presenting a potentially lucrative opportunity for US investors.
The report said negotiators 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 Kyiv.
A White House official reportedly proposed holding the funds in a secure escrow account in a third country to prevent Moscow from using the revenue generated to finance the ongoing war, the report said.
The alleged proposal would involve reactivating the Soviet-era pipeline network that connected the Urengoy natural gas fields in Siberia to Europe via Ukrainian territory.
This push conflicts with current EU regulations mandating that all Russian natural gas imports be phased out by the end of next year.
Before the war, Russia accounted for 45% of Europe's natural gas supplies, but this figure fell to 11%. The resulting gap has been largely filled by US liquefied natural gas (LNG), which accounts for 30% of Europe's consumption.
