The key facts

  • The idea was discussed by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in September during trips to Moscow and Kyiv
  • It envisions selling gas through an American intermediary and a special account in a third jurisdiction
  • The share of Russian gas in EU consumption fell from 45% to about 11%; the US supplies about 30% as LNG

The essence of the proposal

Wall Street Journal, citing American, European and Ukrainian officials, reports that the US is working on returning Russian gas to the European market via Ukraine. According to the outlet, the idea was discussed in September by negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff during visits to Moscow and Kyiv.

How the scheme would work

The proposal envisions selling Russian gas through an American intermediary: such a mechanism, it is expected, would allow European sanctions to be circumvented and create revenue opportunities for American investors. The White House also proposed directing proceeds from the sale of Russian gas in Europe into a special account in a third jurisdiction, in order to limit the possibility of using these funds for military purposes. Ukrainian transit, in turn, would give Kyiv additional transit revenue.

Link to the talks and Europe's position

Washington is seeking a broad agreement to halt strikes on energy facilities ahead of trilateral talks between the US, Russia and Ukraine, scheduled for November in Abu Dhabi. According to the WSJ, the American administration views Russia's return to the European gas market as an additional incentive for Vladimir Putin to support the energy truce.

EU resistance and a shifting balance

The initiative faces serious resistance in Europe: current EU legislation provides for a phased phase-out of Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, and leaders of major European states have repeatedly stated that they do not want to become dependent on Russian energy resources again. Some European officials have sharply criticized the proposal under discussion in private conversations, but, as the WSJ writes, the Trump administration expects that Europe's actual resistance will turn out to be softer than its public statements: high energy prices and concerns about supply security could make European countries more receptive to such proposals.

Context: how far Europe has already moved away from Russian gas

It is telling how much the supply picture has changed since the full-scale invasion: according to the outlet, the share of Russian gas in Europe's consumption has fallen from 45% to about 11%, while about 30% of consumption is covered by American liquefied natural gas. It is against this backdrop that the proposal to restore Russian transit means a reversal of the current trend — and therefore has sparked a heated debate in France, Germany and other EU countries about dependence and supply security.