US negotiators propose gas transit to fund Kyiv
The European Union will likely reject a United States proposal to resume Russian gas deliveries to Europe through Ukraine, according to EU officials. Washington believes the scheme could help secure a ceasefire and provide economic benefits to Kyiv. The plan involves selling Russian gas through a U.S. intermediary to circumvent EU sanctions. Under the proposed arrangement, Russian gas would flow to Europe through the 4,500 kilometer Druzhba pipeline, which stretches from Siberian gas fields like Urengoy through Russia and Ukraine to Central and Western Europe. For Ukraine, the deal could generate transit fees that Kyiv could present as compensation from Moscow. U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner told Ukrainian officials in September that the deal would only proceed after Russia ends its war or agrees to a ceasefire. They suggested transferring proceeds into an escrow account in a third-party jurisdiction to prevent the Kremlin from using the money to finance the war. These proceeds could feed a "prosperity fund" discussed by negotiating teams.
Legal bans and energy independence block the deal
EU officials expressed frustration because Washington repeatedly puts forward initiatives without consulting the bloc. One senior EU official told the Kyiv Independent, "The Americans can propose what they want. That doesn’t mean we will agree to it." This disagreement follows an October clash when the bloc dismissed a U.S. plan to place 200 billion euros in immobilized Russian assets under U.S. custodianship. The EU already legally committed to phasing out all Russian gas imports by 2027. European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen stated that the last shipments will be finished by the end of next year.
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Pipeline length | 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) |
| EU phase-out deadline | 2027 |
| Frozen asset amount | 200 billion euros |
The EU law also seeks to prevent Russian gas from entering the bloc indirectly through third countries. "Regardless of what happens, we are phasing out Russian gas and LNG. The last shipments will be finished by the end of next year," Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said. European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said the bloc has little appetite for renewed dependence on Russian fossil fuels because Moscow used energy supplies as a political tool. "We know far too well the hidden costs of being dependent on Russia for the purchase of fossil fuels. They have been weaponized, and we have been paying the price. We do not forget," Pinho said.
