NYT: US Proposes That the EU Resume Buying Russian Gas
The key element of a new US proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine war is reportedly Europe's return to buying large volumes of Russian pipeline gas, The New York Times reports. In January, the EU had agreed to phase out Russian gas entirely by 1 November 2027.
The New York Times (NYT) reports that a central part of the latest US proposal for ending the war in Ukraine is for the European Union to resume purchasing large volumes of Russian pipeline gas. German broadcaster Deutsche Welle also relayed the report.
According to NYT's sources, the idea was put forward in talks with Ukrainian and EU representatives by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, special envoys of US President Donald Trump. The proposal was also discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at a meeting in Kyiv in September.
Washington's reasoning is that restoring large gas deliveries to Europe would give Russia one economic incentive to stop the war.
Possible US interests
Sources cited by NYT say some European and Ukrainian officials also believe the United States may seek a share of Russia's gas exports.
EU policy and the share of Russian gas
In January 2026, the EU agreed to end all imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas by 1 November 2027, and to ban new gas contracts with Russia.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian gas has fallen sharply as a share of EU imports: 45% in 2021, about 19% in 2024 and 13% in 2025.
