Nord Stream Talks Revealed: Who Wants In?
At a Glance
- Kushner and Russia’s Dmitriev discussed a US investor in Nord Stream, five sources say
- US and EU sanctions make a restart illegal
- Germany and Poland oppose it
- A Lukoil asset sale is also under discussion
A US-Russia gas deal could reshape Europe’s energy map, but sanctions and angry allies stand in the way.
Top US and Russian officials have discussed bringing a US investor into the Nord Stream pipelines, five people with knowledge of the talks told Reuters. Jared Kushner, who is working on a Russia-Ukraine truce, sees business as central to peace.
KEY DETAILS
Kushner and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev met in Moscow and New York in recent weeks. Two sources say Nord Stream remains on the agenda. A White House official said there were “no Nord Stream discussions recently.”
Gazprom owns 51% of the pipeline company. Two German firms hold 31% together, and a French and a Dutch firm own the rest.
The pair also discussed selling Lukoil’s refineries and petrol stations. A group of DFC and Qatari and UAE investors would buy them, with US sanctions lifted.
WHY IT MATTERS
Before the 2022 invasion, Germany bought more than half its gas from Russia through Nord Stream. Berlin says it has found alternatives and doesn’t want a reopening. Poland is firmly opposed, while the AfD, Germany’s most popular party, backs a restart.
Trump could waive sanctions, but that gets harder if Democrats win Congress in next month’s midterms. A US official calls a deal unlikely in the medium term.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Keep an eye on any sanctions waiver, the midterm result, and Dmitriev’s meeting with AfD leaders early next year.
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Source: Reuters
