What happened
US and Russian officials have been discussing a potential deal to bring a US investor into the Nord Stream gas pipelines, which previously delivered gas to Germany before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The talks, involving US Special Envoy Jared Kushner and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, aim to enable US investors to profit from energy flows to Europe once the war ends.
The Nord Stream pipelines are currently sanctioned by the US and the EU, making any restart illegal, but a deal could potentially be negotiated with the US International Development Finance Corporation and the Treasury Department.
However, the proposal faces significant hurdles, including opposition from Germany and other European countries, which are rebuilding their military to defend themselves from Russia.
The company that controls the Nord Stream gas pipelines is 51% owned by Russian state energy giant Gazprom, with the remaining shares split between German, French, and Dutch entities.
In addition to the Nord Stream discussions, Kushner and Dmitriev have also been exploring the sale of a collection of businesses owned by Russian energy company Lukoil to a consortium of investors from the US, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
