With the energy relations of Europe with Russia frozen, Washington and Moscow officials have held conversations about the help of the United States to reactivate Russian gas sales to the continent, as they have informed Reuters eight sources familiar with conversations.
Europe drastically reduced its imports of Russian gas after the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow in 2022, a measure that caused the Russian exporter Gazprom to register losses of 7000 million dollars the following year.
The US president, Donald Trump, is pressing to reach peace in Ukraine, which increases the perspectives of a thaw in gas relations.
Sources close to bilateral conversations said that defining a new role for Moscow in the European Union gas market could help consolidate a peace agreement with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
Although much of Europe has sought alternative supply sources, some buyers have remained, and those responsible for the sector claim that they could return more once a peace agreement is reached.
As for Russia, nothing has affected its economy more than the loss of most of the European gas market three years ago.
It currently provides 19 % of the European demand, compared to the previous 40 %, mainly in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and, to a lesser extent, through the Turkstream gas pipeline, which is going through Türkiye.
Washington’s involvement in the restoration of gas sales could help Moscow overcome the political opposition in much of Europe.
The participation of the United States would also benefit Washington, since it would give visibility and, possibly, some control over the amount of Russian gas that returns to Europe, according to two diplomatic sources and a White House source.
Since 2022, Europe has resorted to other gas suppliers, including American gas exports (LNG).
The American envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin’s envoy for investments, Kirill Dmitriev, have held conversations about gas as part of peace conversations about Ukraine, according to two of the eight sources.
The Witkoff spokesman refused to comment when asked if he had discussed the issue of Russian gas exports to Europe.
“There are currently no conversations in this regard,” said Russia’s Direct Investment Fund, led by Dmitriev in a statement to Reuters.
Gazprom would consider selling gas to Europe if a new owner took control of the gas network between Russia and Europe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared in April, the French magazine Le Point.
On the route that crosses the Baltic Sea, Gazprom controls the two Nord Stream 1 and 2 twin gas pipelines, backed by European companies that have participations.
Moscow is willing to market its gas and know that some European countries still want to buy it, said Peskov in the interview with Le Point. “There is a gas seller and there are potential buyers,” Peskov told reporters in April.
Among the countries that continue to buy are Hungary and Slovakia, which receive gas through the Turkstream gas pipeline. Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Spain obtain LNG from the Russian company Novatek under long -term contracts.
Regarding the possible participation of Americans, five sources said that, to date, conversations have dealt with the participation of US investors in the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which connects Russia and Germany, in the gas pipeline that Ukraine is going through or in the Gazprom itself.
American companies could also act as buyers, acquiring Gazprom gas and transporting it to Europe, including Germany, according to sources.
Two of the sources said that the diplomatic conversations in which possible American investors have also considered the idea that an American buyer acquires Russian gas and exports to Europe as a way to relieve the European political opposition to the resumption of the supply.
Blackrock, Vanguard and Capital Group each have between 1 % and 2 % of Gazprom’s shares.
Blackrock, Vanguard and Gazprom did not respond to comments requests. Capital Group refused to comment.
The European commission refused to comment. The president of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has expressed her opposition to re -depend on the Russian energy supply.
«Some continue to say that we should reopen the Russian gas and oil tap. It would be an error of historical dimensions and we would never allow it, ”he said in a European Parliament session on May 7.
“Russia has demonstrated, again and again, that it is not a reliable supplier.”
Brussels wants to prohibit new gas agreements with Russia by the end of 2025 and prohibit imports under the agreements existing by the end of 2027. The plan, which will be discussed next month, will require the approval of the European Parliament and the majority of the Member States. Hungary and Slovakia have expressed their opposition to measure.
Trump has said that he hopes that a peace agreement in Ukraine will be reached soon and that this allane the way for both Russia and Ukraine to do great businesses with the United States.
Russia is willing to immediately resume gas exports to Europe if there is political will for it, Putin has declared.
kyiv and Washington signed on April 30 an agreement on minerals between the United States and Ukraine that includes all the assets and infrastructure of natural resources owned by the Ukrainian government, but does not explicitly mention the gas pipeline.
“If this level of commitment between Russia and the United States is maintained, the Russian gas flow is very likely to resume … with the participation of US intermediaries,” said a person familiar with negotiations.
Gazprom, eager to resurrect your sales in Europe, is considering offering its German contracts short -term contracts of 24 months and strong prices discounts, according to two sources.
Traditionally, it has asked buyers to sign for decades for decades, they indicated two sources.
Obstacles
However, the EU continues to oppose general terms and there are other obstacles to overcome. There are numerous pending judicial cases for breach of old contracts.
The Nord Stream gas pipelines suffered damage to a sabotage attack in September 2022. Three of the four pipes were broken, leaving only one capable of pumping gas.
The war in Ukraine has also changed the situation, since Russian attacks have damaged the gas pipelines that Ukraine are going through, although the key transit route continues to work.
A more technical issue is that Nord Stream 2 never received the approval of the German government to start sending gas to Germany, according to a spokesman for the Ministry of Economy and Energy of Germany, who refused to make more comments.
