Russian Gas Returns to Europe via Washington Gateway

The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering a proposal urging Europe to resume purchasing additional Russian gas, as part of a broader plan through which Washington seeks to reach an agreement ending the war in Ukraine, according to the New York Times, citing people familiar with the talks.

The report stated that Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, raised the idea during discussions with Ukrainian and European officials, including during their meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv last month.

The proposal also calls for Ukraine to consider restarting pipelines that previously transported Russian gas to Europe, a step the US administration believes could provide an economic incentive for Moscow to agree to end the war.

According to the newspaper, the resumption of Russian gas flows would grant Moscow additional revenue, but would also generate transit fees for Ukraine as gas passes through its territory, which the Trump administration views as one element that could be included in a broader economic settlement.

The idea met with strong reservations from European officials involved in the talks, as it could undermine years of efforts by the European Union, previously supported by Washington, to reduce dependence on Russian gas following the outbreak of the war.

Trump administration officials, by contrast, believe that Russian gas exports could be part of any peace agreement, given what they see as political and economic demand within Europe to lower energy costs, according to the newspaper.

The proposal reflects a shift in Washington’s current approach to the Russian file. The newspaper reported that the administration has devoted a significant portion of its diplomatic efforts to exploring economic incentives that could be offered to Moscow, rather than relying solely on increasing pressure on Russia or bolstering Ukraine’s military capabilities.

According to the report, the Trump administration believes that reopening trade channels in the energy sector could help draw Russia into a settlement, but it faces European opposition due to concerns that this would restore Moscow’s economic and political influence within the continent.

The White House stated that the war “is driving up energy prices across Europe,” adding that Washington is working closely with Kyiv and its European partners on a comprehensive peace proposal that includes economic incentives for Russia and Ukraine as part of a final settlement. It clarified that the goal extends beyond halting fighting, aiming also to create conditions for lasting peace, economic recovery, and greater regional stability, according to the newspaper.

This move comes days after Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to gradually inject Russian diesel into US and global markets, a move aimed at increasing supply and lowering prices. Concurrently, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a temporary general license permitting the supply of Russian diesel to the global market.

Washington is seeking a formula that combines ending the war with providing economic incentives to the parties involved, while the gas-specific proposal remains under discussion and has not yet been finalized into an agreement.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that the two US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had proposed releasing a portion of frozen Russian sovereign assets and converting them into an investment mechanism under US supervision. Russia welcomed the proposal and confirmed it would work on it, according to Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, in an interview with Bloomberg TV.