The Kremlin said Russia is unlikely to resume gas deliveries to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines soon. Dmitry Peskov was responding to a Wall Street Journal report that US officials are promoting a plan involving a US intermediary and an escrow account for proceeds.
The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia is unlikely to resume natural gas deliveries to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines anytime soon. It also said it had no intention of resuming gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it is impossible to resume Russian gas supplies to Europe via pipelines running through Ukraine.
Commenting on a Wall Street Journal report about a US proposal, Peskov said the situation on the ground indicates that implementing such plans is impossible. He added that as for the future, officials will see. Peskov said it was hardly possible for now to speak of supplies resuming in the future either. He said further plans would depend on the wishes of buyers and the capabilities of suppliers. Any renewal of shipments through Ukraine, he said, would depend on the willingness of buyers, the willingness of sellers and the capacity of sellers.
Peskov pointed to centers of economic growth in the Global South while acknowledging that Europe is a premium market.
What the reported plan involves
The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials are promoting a plan for Russia to resume gas sales to Europe via pipelines running through Ukraine. According to the report, the plan would involve selling Russian gas via a US intermediary to avoid European restrictions, and it cites unnamed US, European and Ukrainian officials. The proposal would potentially generate transit revenue for Ukraine.
Under the proposal, proceeds would be placed in an offshore escrow account to prevent Moscow from using the funds to finance its war effort. A senior US official said Russia would deposit the proceeds into an escrow account in a third-party jurisdiction. Proceeds could also be transferred to a US-proposed prosperity fund discussed as part of a potential postwar arrangement. Under the plan, the US would act as an intermediary to keep European sanctions from affecting the trade.
Origins and context
The Journal reported that Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff floated the idea during September visits to Moscow and Kyiv. They reportedly pitched renewed gas sales as a way to coax Putin into an energy ceasefire ahead of winter. The Journal reported in September that resuming the flows would let Ukraine collect transit fees and would serve as an incentive to stop Putin from attacking Kyiv's energy infrastructure. EU legislation requires Russian natural-gas imports to be phased out by the end of 2027.
