US explores plan to resume Russian gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine

The US is supporting a plan to bring Russian natural gas to Europe via pipelines running through Ukraine in order to temporarily end Moscow’s energy confrontation with Kyiv before winter, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.

The plan, outlined by US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff during trips to Moscow and Kyiv last month, would see a US intermediary buy Russian gas and resell it to European customers in a move that could skirt existing sanctions, the paper said, quoting US, European and Ukrainian officials.

Funds from the sales, according to the plan, could be parked in an escrow account in a third country to stop Russia from spending the revenue on the war. Restarting transit would also offer Ukraine a significant boost in pipeline fees.

European governments are vehemently opposed to the idea, eager to wean themselves off Russian fuel after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The European Union has mandated that Russian gas must be eliminated by the end of 2027.

The current pipeline system running through Ukraine could potentially ramp back up faster than the damaged Nord Stream lines.

The initiative is one element of ongoing efforts to attain an energy ceasefire and move forward with peace negotiations with Russia, Ukraine and the US.