US Reportedly Seeks to Restore Russian Gas Supplies to Europe Through Ukraine

The administration of US President Donald Trump is pushing to restore Russian natural gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine, potentially reversing Kyiv’s decision to end Russian gas transit nearly two years ago. The proposal was discussed during negotiations in September as part of a potential “energy ceasefire” ahead of winter, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Nov. 2, citing US, European and Ukrainian officials.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. It would involve selling Russian gas through a US intermediary, allowing the arrangement to circumvent European sanctions while creating lucrative investment opportunities for American companies. Under the plan outlined by Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Russia’s revenues from gas sales would be deposited into an escrow account in a third country to prevent Moscow from using the money to finance its war against Ukraine. Washington is also considering reopening the Nord Stream pipeline system as part of a broader deal to end the war, according to WSJ sources. The proposal faces significant political resistance in Europe, where governments have spent years reducing their dependence on Russian energy following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. How Russian gas flowed through Ukraine Ukraine was historically one of the main transit routes for Russian natural gas exports to Europe. Its extensive Soviet-era pipeline network connected Russian gas fields in Siberia with European markets, supplying countries across Central and Western Europe. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine, Russia Hit by Hackers Sending Fake Nuclear Attack Alerts Hackers breached Ukraine’s Air Alert app and Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry app within hours, sending fake warnings of nuclear attacks, chemical threats, and street fighting. The network included major pipelines such as Bratstvo (Brotherhood) and Soyuz (Union), which carried gas through Ukraine toward Slovakia and other European destinations. Gas also moved through southern Ukraine and Moldova toward the Balkans and Türkiye. Even after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine continued transporting Russian gas to European customers under a five-year transit agreement signed by Naftogaz and Russia’s Gazprom in December 2019. In 2024, the final full year of the arrangement, approximately 42 million cubic meters of Russian gas flowed through Ukraine daily, equivalent to around 15 billion cubic meters annually, according to S&P Global. Slovakia, Austria, Moldova and other European markets continued receiving supplies through the network. Transit ended at 7 a.m. Kyiv time on Jan. 1, 2025, when the agreement expired. Kyiv refused to negotiate a new arrangement with Moscow, arguing that continuing to facilitate Russian gas exports would generate revenue for the Kremlin while Russia continued its war against Ukraine. The Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine confirmed that the Ukrainian gas transmission system had switched to operating without Russian transit. The decision also cost Ukraine an important source of revenue from transit fees. Russian oil still flows through Ukraine The end of Russian gas transit did not mean that all Russian energy exports through Ukraine stopped. Russian crude oil continued to move through the country via the southern branch of the Soviet-era Druzhba (Friendship) pipeline, which supplies refineries in Hungary and Slovakia. Both countries have maintained their reliance on Russian oil and benefit from exemptions under EU sanctions. Ukraine transported approximately 9.73 million metric tons of Russian crude through Druzhba in 2025, according to Ukrainian energy consultancy ExPro. Slovakia received nearly 4.9 million tons, while Hungary received approximately 4.35 million tons. The volumes were 14% lower than in 2024, partly because the Czech Republic stopped importing Russian oil through the pipeline in March 2025. Druzhba also became the focus of a major dispute between Kyiv, Budapest and Bratislava in early 2026. Russian oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia were suspended on Jan. 27 after a Russian strike damaged infrastructure linked to the Druzhba pipeline near Brody in western Ukraine, according to Kyiv. The disruption triggered a diplomatic dispute, with Hungary and Slovakia stepping up pressure on Zelensky over the halted supplies. Budapest and Bratislava accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying the restoration of deliveries, while Ukraine maintained that the pipeline had been damaged by Russian attacks and required extensive repairs. The dispute escalated further as the EU pushed for an independent inspection of the damaged pipeline. Ukraine announced in April that repairs had been completed. Russian oil transit resumed on April 23, with Hungary and Slovakia receiving renewed supplies through the pipeline. Kyiv’s announcement also came amid efforts to unblock a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine that Budapest had been blocking. The dispute demonstrated how dependent some European countries remain on Russian energy despite the EU’s broader efforts to reduce that dependence. Europe resists a return to Russian gas European officials and EU leadership remain skeptical of Washington’s proposal, pointing to the bloc’s commitment to phase out Russian natural gas imports. The EU has spent years diversifying its energy supplies, increasing imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline gas from alternative suppliers. In February 2026, the EU adopted new legislation to phase out Russian gas imports. The restrictions began taking effect in March, with transitional exemptions for certain existing contracts. The EU’s target is to end Russian gas imports by September 2027, with a limited possible extension for some long-term contracts. One WSJ source compared the prospect of resuming Russian gas purchases to former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s decision to sacrifice Czechoslovakia in pursuit of an agreement with Adolf Hitler. European opposition could nevertheless face pressure as the continent prepares for winter. Washington reportedly believes that soaring energy prices, LNG supply shortages linked to the conflict in the Middle East and relatively low gas storage levels could make European governments less resistant to the proposal. The administration is reportedly presenting renewed Russian gas exports as a way to lower energy prices, generate investment opportunities for US companies and provide Moscow with an economic incentive to negotiate an end to the war. Washington also eyes Nord Stream The Trump administration is also considering the possibility of restoring gas supplies through the Nord Stream pipeline system, which connects Russia directly to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The first Nord Stream pipeline began operating in 2011, allowing Russia to bypass traditional transit countries, including Ukraine, and deliver gas directly to Germany. Nord Stream 1 halted deliveries in August 2022, while Nord Stream 2, completed in 2021, never entered commercial operation. Both pipelines were badly damaged in underwater explosions in September 2022, as documented by the United Nations. One senior US official told WSJ that former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mistake was promoting the pipeline project without first securing a broader security agreement with Russia. The official suggested that energy cooperation should have been part of a wider arrangement addressing Moscow’s security concerns. Restarting Nord Stream would require overcoming substantial technical, regulatory and political obstacles. The pipeline network running through Ukraine, by contrast, could reportedly resume operations much more quickly. Kremlin rejects energy truce The Kremlin has previously rejected the idea of an energy ceasefire with Ukraine. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow needed “peace, not a truce.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has separately expressed readiness to resume gas supplies to Europe “as soon as tomorrow,” proposing that the remaining operational line of Nord Stream 2 be used. The pipeline was never brought into commercial operation.