The US is exploring a plan to bring Russian natural gas back into the European market through pipelines crossing Ukraine, in a bid to secure an energy truce between Moscow and Kyiv before winter.
asserted
US → explore → winter
The proposal is part of wider efforts to advance peace negotiations, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials from the US, Europe and Ukraine.
asserted
Journal → advance → US
The arrangement could see a US intermediary handle the sale of Russian gas, potentially bypassing European sanctions while giving American investors a stake in the business.
uncertain
intermediary → see → business
US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff raised the proposal during their visits to Moscow and Kyiv in September, people familiar with the discussions told the WSJ.
asserted
people → raise → WSJ
The idea faces a major obstacle: Europe's stated policy of ending its reliance on Russian energy.
asserted
idea → face → energy
EU legislation requires member states to phase out all Russian natural gas purchases by the end of 2027.
asserted
legislation → require → 2027
Several European leaders have also ruled out returning to dependence on supplies from a country they consider a major security threat.
asserted
they → rule → country
Yet Washington believes the prospect of reopening a lucrative European market could persuade Russian President
Vladimir Putin to agree to an energy ceasefire.
uncertain
prospect → believe → ceasefire
The proposed route would use the Soviet-era pipeline system connecting Siberia's Urengoi gas fields to Europe through Ukraine.
asserted
route → propose → Ukraine
Kyiv, in turn, could earn much-needed money from transit charges.
uncertain
Kyiv → earn → charges
The proposal had lost momentum last month after Ukraine halted attacks on Russian refineries following pressure from US President
Donald Trump.
asserted
Ukraine → lose → Trump
The pause lasted nearly two weeks, even as Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure continued and Moscow began sending diesel to the US.
asserted
Moscow → last → US
Washington subsequently turned its attention to the possibility of negotiating a wider peace settlement.
asserted
Washington → turn → settlement
Ukraine launched attacks on three major Russian refineries over three days, beginning Friday, bringing the question of an energy truce back into focus.
asserted
Ukraine → launch → focus
The renewed urgency comes ahead of planned three-way talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi in mid-November.
asserted
urgency → renew → November
Moscow has so far resisted US efforts to secure such an arrangement, according to the WSJ.
uncertain
Moscow → resist → WSJ
A possible financial incentive for Moscow
The White House has also discussed safeguards to prevent Russia from using gas revenues to bankroll its military campaign.
asserted
House → discuss → campaign
Under one proposal, proceeds from European sales would be placed in an escrow account in a third-party jurisdiction, a senior US official told the WSJ.
asserted
official → place → WSJ
American negotiators have presented the arrangement to European governments as a way to ease energy costs at a time when the continent is preparing for winter with relatively low gas reserves.
asserted
continent → present → reserves
They believe access to the European market could give Putin a strong financial reason to accept a deal.
uncertain
access → believe → deal
The proposal would represent a dramatic shift in Trump's approach to Russian energy.
asserted
proposal → represent → energy
During his first term, he repeatedly criticised then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel for backing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, warning that the project would leave Germany “captive to Russia”.
asserted
project → criticise → Russia
His administration imposed sanctions on the pipeline in late 2019.
asserted
administration → impose → 2019
Russia's subsequent invasion of Ukraine reinforced European concerns about the risks of relying on Moscow for energy.
asserted
invasion → reinforce → energy
Before the war, Russian gas accounted for 45% of Europe's supplies.
asserted
gas → account → supplies
That share has since fallen to 11%, with US liquefied natural gas now making up 30% of European consumption.
asserted
share → fall → consumption
The EU has since moved to dismantle its dependence on Russian gas, with a complete phase-out mandated by the end of 2027.
asserted
EU → move → 2027
Its stated position is that purchases should not resume even after a comprehensive peace agreement, much less under a temporary ceasefire that leaves Russia's war effort intact.
asserted
that → resume → effort
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen reiterated that position in an October interview with a Hungarian newspaper, which his office confirmed.
“I certainly would not trust Russia.
asserted
I → reiterate → Russia
Even if there were peace tomorrow, which we all hope for,” he said.
asserted
he → be → which
Europe's resistance faces a new energy test
asserted
resistance → face → test
Despite the public opposition, the Trump administration believes economic pressures could make European governments reconsider.
uncertain
governments → believe → opposition
Some senior officials, however, have privately rejected the idea in strong terms.
asserted
officials → reject → terms
A senior Nordic official said buying Russian gas again would contradict everything Europe stands for.
asserted
Europe → say → everything
Another senior official from a large European country likened the proposal to former British leader Neville Chamberlain sacrificing Czechoslovakia to Hitler in exchange for business deals, the WSJ reported.
asserted
WSJ → liken → deals
Washington is also considering the possibility of restoring gas supplies through Nord Stream as part of a broader settlement.
asserted
Washington → consider → settlement
The US sees such an arrangement as potentially helping not only to end the Ukraine war but also to ease longstanding tensions between Moscow and America's European allies.
asserted
US → see → Moscow
A senior US official told the WSJ that Merkel's mistake had been to pursue the pipeline without first securing a broader security arrangement with Russia that Moscow could accept.
uncertain
Moscow → tell → that
The Nord Stream route, however, would be difficult to revive.
asserted
route → revive → ?
Nord Stream 1 stopped deliveries in August 2022, while Nord Stream 2 never entered service.
asserted
Stream → stop → service
…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
