US and Russia discussed American investor for Nord Stream, but White House denies talks and Germany pushes back
Reuters reported that US presidential envoy Jared Kushner and Kremlin-linked adviser Kirill Dmitriev have discussed attracting an American investor to restore the Nord Stream gas pipelines, meeting in Moscow and New York in recent weeks. The White House said any Russia deals must go through US development finance and Treasury bodies and that there have been no recent Nord Stream-specific talks. Germany said the pipelines are under European sanctions and that Berlin has no wish to approve their resumption.
Key points
- Jared Kushner (US special envoy) and Kirill Dmitriev (Putin adviser) met in Moscow and New York in recent weeks to discuss restoring Nord Stream, per five sources cited by Reuters.
- A White House spokesperson said any Russia deals must be coordinated with the US International Development Finance Corporation and the Treasury, and benefit American taxpayers and companies.
- The same spokesperson said there have been no recent discussions specifically about Nord Stream.
- The Nord Stream pipelines are under US and EU sanctions, making any resumption of supplies under current conditions illegal.
- Trump could lift or ease US sanctions, but doing so would be harder if Democrats take Congress in next month's US midterm elections.
- Germany's Economy Ministry said the pipelines are under European sanctions, that Berlin has alternative supplies, and that any resumption would need federal approval, which it does not intend to give.
- Kushner and Dmitriev also discussed a possible sale of Russian company Lukoil's European and other assets, with a consortium including DFC and investors from Qatar and the UAE potentially acquiring them if US sanctions are lifted.
Why it matters
The reported talks, if they advanced, would unwind a central plank of Europe's energy break with Russia after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The pipelines are damaged from the September 2022 sabotage and under both US and EU sanctions, so any resumption is currently illegal. Germany's stated opposition means a US sanctions lift alone would not reopen the route. The discussions are also tied to a broader US–Russia rapprochement track, including a possible consortium purchase of Russian energy assets such as Lukoil's European holdings, and could be complicated by next month's US midterm elections.
What happened
Reuters reported, citing five sources, that US and Russian officials — including presidential envoy Jared Kushner and Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev — have been discussing whether to bring in an American investor to restore the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Kushner and Dmitriev met in Moscow and New York in recent weeks. The White House did not deny the meetings but said any Russia deals must be coordinated with the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the Treasury Department, and benefit American taxpayers and companies. A White House spokesperson also said there have been no recent Nord Stream-specific discussions. One US official told reporters that, given the existing obstacles, a deal in the medium term is unlikely. The pipelines are under US and EU sanctions, so resumption of supplies is currently illegal; Trump could in theory lift US sanctions, but doing so would become harder if Democrats win Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. Germany and other European countries are expected to firmly oppose any resumption. The German Economy Ministry said the pipelines are under European sanctions, that Berlin has secured alternative supplies, and that any reopening would require federal government approval, which it does not intend to grant. Kushner and Dmitriev also discussed a possible sale of Russian energy company Lukoil's assets — from refineries to gas stations in Europe and elsewhere — with a consortium including DFC and investors from Qatar and the UAE potentially buying them if the US lifts the relevant sanctions.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language outlets frame the story as a potential reversal of Western energy policy toward Russia and stress European opposition to reviving Nord Stream. They place the Kushner–Dmitriev channel within a broader US–Russia rapprochement that they link to possible sanctions relief for Russian assets, including Lukoil's European holdings, and they highlight the sensitivity of US officials negotiating strategic energy infrastructure with a Kremlin-linked figure.
Where reporting differs
The White House and Reuters sources disagree on whether there have been recent Nord Stream-specific talks: the White House denies this, while sources cited by Reuters describe ongoing Kushner–Dmitriev discussions in which the Nord Stream topic remains on the agenda. Sources also differ on how substantively Nord Stream was discussed at each Moscow and New York meeting — some accounts present it as actively under negotiation, while others say it is unclear whether or how specifically it came up.
Background
Before Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Germany bought more than half of its gas from Russia through the two Nord Stream pipelines. The pipelines were mothballed after Moscow restricted supplies to Europe and were damaged by a series of underwater explosions in September 2022. Gazprom owns 51% of the operating company, with 31% held by two German companies and the remainder split between French and Dutch shareholders; the German co-owners reportedly want to retain their stakes if Gazprom decides to sell. Kirill Dmitriev, who advocates resuming Russian gas supplies to Germany, met US Department of Energy and Treasury officials last month to discuss potential US–Russian energy initiatives, and on 24 September met US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Kushner in New York.