U.S. Presidential Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have resumed efforts to advance an initiative to restore the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe via the Ukrainian gas transmission system. Washington views Russia’s return to the European energy market as a key economic incentive for the Kremlin to agree to a comprehensive peace deal, while for Kyiv, it is presented as a way to secure stable revenue from transit fees.
According to an analytical piece by the American publication The Wall Street Journal, this is being discussed, as reported by Dengi.ua.
The U.S. Transit Plan and Strong Resistance from EU Allies
According to the plan proposed by U.S. negotiators, direct purchases of Russian gas would be conducted through a U.S. intermediary company, bypassing existing EU sanctions, which would guarantee direct financial benefits to U.S. investors. To prevent direct financing of Russia’s military expenditures, proceeds from the deliveries are to be deposited into a special escrow account in a third-country jurisdiction. In addition, the White House is considering unfreezing and restarting the surviving sections of the Nord Stream gas pipeline as part of a broader settlement of disputes between Moscow and Brussels.
Key details of the initiative and the international reaction:
- Washington’s arguments: The White House is positioning the resumption of supplies as an emergency measure to lower gas prices in Europe ahead of winter, given the nearly empty underground storage facilities;
- The European Union’s position: European capitals have categorically rejected the initiative, reiterating the EU’s firm plan to completely end its dependence on Russian gas by the end of 2027; one EU diplomat compared the U.S. proposal to the “1938 Munich Agreement”;
- Background of the strikes on Russian refineries: The intensification of behind-the-scenes negotiations coincided with Kyiv’s resumption in late October of a series of devastating strikes using long-range drones against major Russian refineries, despite behind-the-scenes pressure from the Donald Trump administration.
According to insiders, gas transit and the conditions for its resumption will be the central focus of the upcoming trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, scheduled for mid-November 2026.
