Russia and the US have resumed negotiations to restore the Nord Stream gas pipeline. The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this in an interview with the Russian media, emphasizing the importance of these negotiations for Europe's energy stability and preserving Russian gas supply to the continent.
According to Lavrov, Russia hopes that the United States will use its significant impact on Europe, including Germany and Brussels to stop the process of refusing Russian gas. "Obviously, it will be interesting if Americans use their influence on Europe and make it not give it up Russian gas," he said.
Russia is interested in restoring the normal energy supply of Europe, which, according to Lavrov, is an important element of stability for both parties. Lavrov stressed that the growing energy difficulties of Europe, in particular, due to the lack of Russian gas, are asked into question the economic situation on the continent. Therefore, Moscow is set to restore cooperation in this direction, which will also contribute to economic benefits for Russia.
However, despite Russia's initiatives, Germany continues to oppose the restoration of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, which was decommissioned through political sanctions and energy restrictions imposed by the European Union against Russia's aggression in Ukraine. Brussels also does not look at the possibility of returning to the import of Russian gas, which casts doubt on the realism of such restoration of supplies in the short term.
According to Politico, the negotiations between Russia and the United States are currently coinciding with other diplomatic initiatives, in particular, to ceasefire in Ukraine. Washington, in turn, actively uses these negotiations as a platform to discuss "major economic agreements" in the future, which confirms the broad strategic interests of the United States in the European Energy Sector.
Against the background of this situation, the question arises as to the US side to influence European partners to view their position on Russian gas, whether Brussels and Germany will retain their determination to reduce dependence on energy resources from Russia.
During his statements, Lavrov also stressed that Russia will continue to seek mutually beneficial energy relations with Europe, although it understands that it will take time and change political realities on the continent.
