Trump’s special envoy and Putin’s friend want Nord Stream 2 to resume – Politico
24 April 12:08
The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering lifting sanctions against the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and other Russian energy assets in Europe. This is happening in the context of negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. This was reported by Politico, citing five sources familiar with the situation, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the publication, White House Special Representative Steve Witkoff is the main supporter of lifting sanctions – he has instructed his team to compile a list of all energy restrictions that the United States has imposed on Russia. Vitkoff, who has previously declared his friendly relations with Putin, is actively promoting this initiative.
However, in a joint statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vitkoff himself categorically denied any such talks, calling POLITICO’s report “fiction and irresponsible journalism.”
Lifting the sanctions would be a sharp reversal in US policy. The sanctions were first imposed during Trump’s first term, then temporarily lifted by Biden at the start of his presidency, but reimposed after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Despite the 2022 explosion that damaged the pipelines, one of the two Nord Stream 2 lines remains operational. Russia’s return to the European energy market could bring Moscow significant financial benefits, although this will depend on the EU’s willingness to resume purchases of Russian gas.
In the White House, a confrontation continues between supporters of rapprochement with Russia and supporters of “US energy dominance.” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, who also heads the White House Council on Energy Dominance, opposes Vitkoff’s initiative, as restoring Russia’s position as Europe’s main energy supplier would be “a bloodbath for American oil and gas producers.”
Analysts warn that the return of Russian gas to the international market will lead to a decline in global gas prices and put American liquefied natural gas exporters in direct competition with Russian suppliers.
Along with government discussions, private investors are also lobbying for the lifting of sanctions. In particular, Steven Lynch of Monte Valley Partners, an investment firm specializing in the purchase of energy infrastructure previously owned by Russia, is actively working to obtain a license from the US Treasury Department to purchase the pipeline. Another interested party is Matthias Warnig, a former spy and close friend of Putin’s who is under US sanctions. He is working to restore the pipeline with the support of American investors.
So, it is safe to say that the United States has at least a number of interested and influential people in the restoration of Russia’s Nord Stream 2. This means that relevant discussions are taking place at the political level.
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“Peace deal”: what’s on the table
According to the WSJ, the United States is expecting Kyiv to respond this week to ideas for ending the war. In particular, the refusal to join NATO and the possible recognition of Crimea as Russian by the United States.
According to the publication, the US ideas include recognizing Crimea as Russian, excluding Ukraine’s accession to NATO, and declaring the area around the nuclear power plant a neutral territory that could be under Washington’s control.
At the same time, according to Western officials, the ideas put forward by representatives of the Trump team do not meet a number of Russian demands. In particular, the United States does not recognize that Russia has the legal right to control four regions in the eastern part of Ukraine (Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions). At the same time, Washington does not demand that Russian troops leave these areas. Bloomberg previously reported that the United States would consider recognizing Crimea as Russian.
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