US and Russian officials discuss investor for Nord Stream — Jerusalem Post
Officials from the United States and Russia — the aggressor state — discussed the possibility of involving an American investor in the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which supplied gas to Germany before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This was reported by the Jerusalem Post, citing Reuters, which quoted five sources familiar with the matter.
US special envoy Jared Kushner and Kirill Dmitriev, a close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, took part in the discussions. According to the sources, Kushner and Dmitriev have met in Moscow and New York in recent weeks. It is unknown how extensively Nord Stream was discussed during these meetings, but the issue remains on the agenda, according to two sources.
White House position
A White House representative said that Russia would need to coordinate any arrangements with the US International Development Finance Corporation and the US Department of the Treasury. According to the representative, the agreements must benefit American taxpayers and companies. At the same time, the official told Reuters that there have been no recent talks regarding Nord Stream.
Dmitriev, who advocates resuming sales of Russian gas to Germany, met with representatives of the US Department of Energy and the Treasury Department last month to discuss possible US-Russian energy initiatives. His representative declined to comment.
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Sanctions and Germany’s position
According to a US official’s assessment, an agreement is unlikely to be possible in the medium term due to existing obstacles. The official noted that the United States and the European Union have imposed sanctions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, making their restart illegal.
A spokesperson for Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy said that Europe has imposed sanctions on Nord Stream and Russian gas, while Germany has found alternative sources of supply. According to the spokesperson, restarting the pipelines would require government approval, which Berlin is not seeking.
Until February 2022, Germany received more than half of its gas from Russia through the two Nord Stream pipelines. The pipelines were mothballed after Moscow reduced gas supplies to Europe, and they were damaged by underwater explosions in September 2022. The company controlling Nord Stream is 51% owned by Russia’s Gazprom, another 31% is divided between two German entities, and the remaining stakes belong to French and Dutch companies.
