American, Russian officials meet on bringing US investor into Nord Stream gas pipeline to Germany

Top Russian and US officials, including Jared Kushner and Kirill Dmitriev, have held talks about bringing a US investor into the Nord Stream pipelines that delivered gas to Germany before Russia invaded Ukraine. The discussions, which took place in Moscow and New York, are part of Kushner's broader effort to broker a truce between Russia and Ukraine, viewing business deals as central to restoring peace. A White House official stated any deal must benefit US taxpayers and companies, while noting no recent Nord Stream discussions. The proposal faces significant obstacles, including US and EU sanctions, German opposition, and European distrust of Russia.

Top Russian and US officials, including US Special Envoy Jared Kushner and Kirill Dmitriev, a close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, have held talks about bringing a US investor into the Nord Stream pipelines that delivered gas to Germany before Russia invaded Ukraine. The discussions, which took place in Moscow and New York in recent weeks, are part of Kushner's broader effort to broker a truce between Russia and Ukraine, viewing business deals as central to restoring peace. A White House official stated any deal must benefit US taxpayers and companies, but noted there had been 'no Nord Stream discussions recently.' The proposal faces significant obstacles: the US and EU have sanctioned the Nord Stream pipelines, making any restart illegal; Germany and other European countries would strongly resist reopening the pipeline; and European spy agencies have warned that Russia is using talks to push for business deals rather than end the war. Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Germany bought more than half its gas from Russia through the two Nord Stream pipelines. They were mothballed after Moscow throttled supply and were blown up in a series of underwater explosions in September 2022. Kushner and Dmitriev have also been discussing the sale of assets owned by Russian energy company Lukoil, under a plan involving the DFC federal investment agency and investors from Qatar and the UAE.