The US is backing a proposal to restart Russian natural gas exports to Europe through Ukraine as part of talks on a possible energy ceasefire before winter, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing US, European and Ukrainian officials. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner raised the idea during visits to Moscow and Kyiv in September, according to the newspaper. Under the proposal, Russian gas would be sold through a US intermediary, potentially benefiting American investors while allowing Ukraine to collect transit fees. Russian gas shipments through Ukraine stopped in January 2025 after Kyiv declined to renew a transit agreement with Moscow. The proposal faces resistance in Europe. European officials have rejected a return to Russian gas imports, citing the bloc’s effort to reduce dependence on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine. EU law requires Russian gas imports to end, with a full ban on pipeline deliveries scheduled for autumn 2027.
