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Russian and US officials have discussed the possibility of bringing an American investor into the Nord Stream pipeline projects, Reuters reported, citing sources. The White House said US authorities would have to approve any deal and that no recent discussions about Nord Stream had taken place; sources also told Reuters an agreement is unlikely in the medium term.
Russian and American officials have discussed bringing a US investor into the Nord Stream pipeline projects, Reuters reported, citing sources, in talks that could be linked to the possibility of selling Russian gas to Europe again. The White House said US authorities would need to approve any deal and that no recent discussions about Nord Stream had taken place, while a source told Reuters an agreement is unlikely in the medium term.
Those involved in the reported discussions include Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special representative for investment and economic cooperation and head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Reuters reported that both men are also involved in talks aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Dmitriev and Kushner have met in Moscow and New York in recent weeks, according to Reuters sources. The sources did not establish how extensively Nord Stream was discussed at those meetings. One said the subject remained on the agenda; another said the two sides were unlikely to reach a deal in the medium term. The White House’s account was that no Nord Stream discussions had taken place recently.
Reuters reported that Dmitriev favors resuming Russian gas sales to Germany. In September, he met representatives of the US Department of Energy and Treasury Department to discuss potential US-Russian energy initiatives. The report does not say that those meetings produced an agreement, or that a specific investor, financing plan or timetable for Nord Stream has been identified.
A Potential Route Back to Germany
The discussions matter because any return of Russian gas through Nord Stream would represent a major change in Europe’s energy relationship with Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Germany is Europe’s largest energy consumer, and before the invasion most of its gas came from Russia through Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. A US investor’s participation could also give American businesses a role in energy supplies to Europe if the war ends and restrictions change.
That possibility is not the same as a policy decision or an operating pipeline. A deal would face US approval requirements, and the pipelines are subject to EU and US sanctions, according to the report. Germany and other European countries are expected to oppose a return to Nord Stream operations, given security concerns and preparations against Russian hybrid attacks and a possible invasion.
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Nord Stream After the Invasion
Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 were built to carry Russian gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the pipelines were central to Germany’s gas imports. After the invasion began, gas flows stopped and the projects came under EU and US sanctions, according to the source report.
The reported discussions are part of wider contacts between Russian and American figures concerning investment, energy and the war. Reuters said Kushner views business cooperation as a key factor in reaching a peace agreement. That characterization is attributed to Reuters; the report does not establish that energy cooperation is part of any agreed peace framework, or that European governments have been consulted on a possible pipeline deal.
“U.S. authorities would need to approve any such deal, and no discussions about Nord Stream had taken place recently.”
— The White House, as reported by Reuters
No Deal or Timetable Confirmed
No agreement has been announced, and the report does not identify a proposed American investor, deal structure or timetable. It is also unclear how much Nord Stream featured in Dmitriev and Kushner’s recent meetings. The White House said there had been no recent discussions on the subject, a statement that sits alongside Reuters sources’ account of earlier conversations and a topic still on the agenda.
Washington’s interest in restoring Russian gas flows to Germany is also unclear. The report does not specify what approvals would be required beyond saying US authorities would have to approve a deal, nor does it detail the position of Germany or other European governments on the reported contacts. The pipelines’ sanctions status and security concerns are major constraints, but the report does not describe any steps to change them.
Approval and European Response
The next signs to watch are whether officials publicly confirm further discussions, whether a specific investor or commercial proposal emerges, and whether the US government considers an approval process. Any proposal would also face the question of how existing sanctions and restrictions could be addressed.
Germany and other European governments’ positions would be central to any prospect of renewed operations. For now, the reporting points to discussions rather than a settled plan; no restart date, formal proposal or government decision has been reported.
Key Questions
What did US and Russian officials discuss?
Reuters sources said officials discussed bringing an American investor into the Nord Stream pipeline projects. The report links the discussions to a possible return of Russian gas sales to Europe, but does not describe a finalized proposal.
Who took part in the reported discussions?
The report names Kirill Dmitriev, a senior Russian investment official, and Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Reuters said both are also involved in talks aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Has a deal to restart Nord Stream been reached?
No deal has been announced. A Reuters source said an agreement was unlikely in the medium term, and the report gave no investor, timetable or confirmed plan to restart gas flows.
What did the White House say?
The White House said US authorities would need to approve any deal and that no discussions about Nord Stream had taken place recently. That statement contrasts with Reuters sources’ account of contacts in recent weeks and the issue remaining on the agenda.
Why would a restart face opposition?
The pipelines are under EU and US sanctions, and Germany and other European countries are expected to oppose renewed operations amid security concerns. The report does not say that any government has approved a restart.
Source: rss
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