Lavrov Suggests U.S. Role in Revitalizing Nord Stream Pipeline Operations

On wednesday,Russia’s foreign minister hinted that the U.S. might be open to assisting Gazprom in reviving it’s massive underwater pipelines to Western Europe. This move could substantially lower energy expenses across Europe, making American liquefied natural gas (LNG) less appealing in the EU market. As 2022, Gazprom’s Nord Stream system has been offline, but if it gets back up and running, it could meet nearly a third of Europe’s gas needs.

“Ther’s chatter about Nord Stream,” said Sergei Lavrov. “It would be intriguing if the U.S.leveraged its influence over Europe to encourage a return to Russian gas.”

For Northern Europe, Russian pipeline gas remains the most affordable option available. Some industrial leaders on the continent would welcome its return with open arms. Following Russia’s invasion of ukraine and subsequent sanctions from the EU, Gazprom halted both subsea and land-based deliveries to Western Europe—this abrupt stop ended long-standing contracts dating back to Soviet times and sent European gas prices soaring overnight.

According to Politico, there’s a proposal for an American company to take over Nord Stream’s pipeline infrastructure legally; this would likely necessitate lifting or modifying existing sanctions on both Gazprom and nord Stream 2. The idea is that this American operator would act as an intermediary—buying Russian gas and selling it off to European utilities.

One of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines is still operational and could perhaps restart with European approval—a politically sensitive issue at best. However, for full capacity restoration across all lines, repairs are needed due to damage inflicted during a sabotage incident in 2022.

Lavrov pointed out that U.S. companies currently enjoy lower energy costs compared to their European counterparts as of cheaper domestic natural gas prices in America. He also mentioned that many top EU officials are staunchly opposed to resuming imports of inexpensive Russian