Trump administration suddenly pushes for Russian gas supplies to Europe

According to information from the Wall Street Journal, Washington is pushing for a rapid resumption of Russian natural gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine.

According to the report, the proposal is part of efforts to reach a ceasefire on attacks on the energy infrastructure of Russia and Ukraine before the coming winter. The US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff had already put forward the idea in September during talks in Moscow and Kiev, the paper writes.

The plan is to route Russian gas to Europe through the existing pipeline network via Ukraine. A US mediator could be involved. According to the White House, Russia's income from the deliveries could then be deposited in an escrow account in a third country in order to prevent Moscow from using the money directly to finance the war. Ukraine, in turn, could collect transit fees.

Washington hopes that the model will also provide an incentive for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin to agree to a comprehensive ceasefire in the energy sector. It is said that the efforts have taken on new urgency ahead of planned negotiations between the USA, Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi in mid-November.

“I certainly wouldn’t trust Russia,” said EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen

However, the proposal is likely to meet with considerable resistance in Europe. EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen only made it clear in October that he wanted to stick to a permanent import ban even in the event of a peace agreement. “I certainly wouldn’t trust Russia,” Jørgensen said.

The EU has decided to phase out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027. According to the report, before the Russian attack on Ukraine, 45 percent of European natural gas came from Russia, but now it is only eleven percent. US liquefied gas, on the other hand, covers around 30 percent of European consumption. European government officials have so far emphasized that renewed dependence on Russian energy is out of the question, even after a possible peace agreement.

Washington's change of course is also notable with regard to former Chancellor Angela Merkel. During Trump's first term in office, the US President repeatedly sharply criticized Merkel over the construction of Nord Stream 2 and accused Germany of making itself a "prisoner of Russia". At the end of 2019, the USA even imposed sanctions on the pipeline project.

Now, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration is taking a significantly different line: According to the report, a high-ranking US government official described it as Merkel's mistake for pushing ahead with Nord Stream without first seeking a more comprehensive security agreement with Russia. Washington now apparently sees a revival of Russian gas supplies as a possible part of a larger agreement with Moscow.