EU Diplomats Resist Trump’s Russian Gas Revival Plan

EU diplomats say there are no plans to resume Russian gas purchases despite a reported US proposal to restart supplies through Ukraine, according to a report published on Thursday, Nov. 5.EUobserver reported that diplomats remained opposed to renewed purchases as officials discussed Ukraine’s postwar economic recovery and security guarantees in Brussels.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.“As a principle, the EU is sticking to abandoning fossil-fuel dependency on Russia,” one EU diplomat said.Another argued that continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure warranted tighter restrictions rather than sanctions relief.A third diplomat said Russian gas purchases had not been mentioned in two briefings on talks with US officials. The comments indicate continued resistance to the proposal, rather than a newly announced formal EU decision.US proposal would restore gas transit through UkraineUS envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have reportedly proposed restoring gas transit through Ukraine using an American intermediary.The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, Nov. 2 that the idea had been raised during September negotiations as part of efforts to secure an energy ceasefire before winter.The arrangement could provide Ukraine with transit revenue while reopening an export route for Russia. Russian proceeds would reportedly be deposited in an escrow account in a third country, a mechanism US negotiators presented as a way to prevent the money from financing Moscow’s war. Other Topics of Interest Kyiv Aims for Full Heating by Nov. 12 With Russia vowing to decimate Ukraine’s energy grid, questions remain about whether heating outages in subzero temperatures will repeat as in 2025-26. No final agreement on the arrangement has been announced.Ukraine stopped transporting Russian gas on Jan. 1, 2025, after a five-year agreement expired. Kyiv refused to negotiate a replacement, arguing that facilitating Russian exports generated revenue for the Kremlin while its invasion continued.Europe’s gas phaseout creates a legal obstacleThe proposal faces an existing legally binding phaseout of Russian gas imports, adopted by EU countries in January 2026.Under the timetable, remaining long-term Russian liquefied natural gas contracts must end from Jan. 1, 2027. The ban on long-term pipeline supplies takes effect on Sept. 30, with a possible postponement until Nov. 1 if winter gas-storage targets are at risk.The European Commission describes the legislation as a gradual but permanent ban. Its implementation includes checks on gas origins and monitoring intended to prevent circumvention.Russian gas has not yet disappeared from the European market: Some deliveries continue under existing contracts during the transition. Those remaining purchases do not represent a reversal of the bloc’s commitment to end imports.Dutch prime minister rejects renewed purchasesDutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten rejected a Russian gas revival during a joint appearance with President Volodymyr Zelensky in The Hague on Oct. 28.He described buying Russian energy as a “very stupid idea” and urged European governments and Washington to increase sanctions rather than offer Moscow economic concessions.Jetten argued that Europe had demonstrated its ability to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels since the full-scale invasion. He said financial pressure should continue until Russia ends its war.Energy deals featured in US-Russia discussionsThe gas proposal forms part of broader discussions about economic incentives for Moscow.Washington and Moscow have also reportedly discussed the return of American oil companies to Russia, including joint production projects off Sakhalin and renewed Russian crude exports through the Druzhba pipeline. No final decisions on those proposals have been announced.Zelensky has warned that expanding commercial ties could develop into an economic partnership that benefits Russia before it ends its invasion. He said potential arrangements could extend beyond energy to frozen assets and sanctions relief.Other reported proposals include reviving Nord Stream. Germany opposes reopening the pipelines, which also face US and EU sanctions. Nord Stream 1 stopped operating in 2022, while Nord Stream 2 never entered commercial service.Any revival would require European regulatory decisions and arrangements for damaged infrastructure, placing key parts of the proposed energy bargain outside Washington and Moscow’s control. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.