U.S. Envoys Discuss Russian Gas Route Through Ukraine

U.S. envoys have discussed a proposal to restore Russian natural gas sales to Europe through pipelines in Ukraine, using a U.S. intermediary, but no agreement has been reached. The reported plan would reopen a route where Russian gas transit stopped in January 2025 and would depend on decisions by Russia, Ukraine and European buyers. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people involved in the talks, that President Donald Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff discussed the idea during visits to Moscow and Kyiv in September. Under the proposal, a U.S. intermediary would handle sales of Russian gas to European countries. Some accounts of the plan say proceeds could be placed in escrow, though the details have not been formally confirmed by the governments involved. The proposal is exploratory, not an adopted arrangement. There is no reported agreement to resume deliveries, and the parties have not publicly confirmed that negotiations have advanced. Whether the proposal could proceed would depend on Russia and Ukraine, as well as European governments and buyers willing to purchase the gas. Ukraine halted Russian gas transit on January 1, 2025, after the transit...