US, Russia discuss restoring Russian gas supplies to Europe

U.S. and Russian officials have engaged in talks about potentially restoring Russian natural gas supplies to Europe, with discussions linked to broader peace negotiations concerning the Ukraine conflict. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Europe has drastically reduced its dependence on Russian gas, dropping from 40% to around 19% of imports, relying increasingly on U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other suppliers. Some European countries, including Hungary and Slovakia, continue to receive Russian gas through the TurkStream pipeline and LNG contracts. Proposals under consideration include U.S. investors acquiring stakes in key Russian pipelines and companies like Gazprom, or acting as intermediaries to ease political opposition within Europe. While Gazprom is reportedly offering shorter-term contracts with discounts to regain European customers, the European Union remains committed to phasing out Russian gas imports by 2027, citing political and regulatory challenges, including damaged infrastructure and legal disputes. U.S. involvement could provide Washington with oversight of gas flows and help facilitate a potential peace deal, but the resumption of significant Russian gas exports to Europe depends on ongoing diplomatic developments and EU political will.