The White House is discussing lifting sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and other Russian projects in Europe, Politico reports, citing five sources familiar with the discussions.
The main proponent of lifting the restrictions is Steve Whitkoff, special representative of the U.S. president, the sources told the publication. According to them, Whitkoff instructed his subordinates to compile a list of all U.S. sanctions against Russia in the field of energy.
Although Whitkoff has proposed lifting energy sanctions against Russia, the initiative has not yet found significant support in the president’s team, the source told Politico. He says Secretary of State Marco Rubio opposes the idea: “This is not a pie that is baking in the oven, although the ingredients are already assembled.”
Some in the US government are convinced that Whitkoff is mistaken about the scale of energy opportunities the US will get after restoring business ties with Russia, the source added.
In addition to Rubio, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who also heads the White House Energy Dominance Council, opposes the initiative,
“There’s an internal debate going on in the White House between the people who dominate the energy industry – Burgum, who wants markets for U.S. LNG, and Whitkoff, who wants rapprochement with Russia,” the source claims to Politico.
According to the source, a return of Russia as Europe’s main energy supplier would be a “bloodbath” for U.S. producers” of oil and gas.
Bild and the Financial Times reported in early March that Moscow and Washington had discussed restarting the pipeline with the participation of U.S. investors. Some European countries resented these discussions without their participation: Politico’s sources among European diplomats believe that Nord Stream discussions should be “strictly a European matter.” In their opinion, holding such talks without involving European countries is “insane.”
In March, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia was discussing restoring the Nord Stream project’s pipelines.
“Now, of course, there are disagreements. But the interest to restore normal energy supply to Europe, is it only the interest of the US and Russia? There is talk about Nord Streams,” he stated.