Russian and U.S. negotiators held secret talks on resuming gas flows to Germany via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the German tabloid Bild reported Sunday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter.
The Swiss-based operator of Nord Stream 2 and other Russia-based entities linked to the $11 billion pipeline are currently under U.S. sanctions. The reported U.S.-Russia discussions on restarting the pipeline are seen as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to rebuild ties with Russia.
According to Bild, Trump’s special envoy Richard Grenell made multiple unofficial visits to the headquarters of Nord Stream 2 AG — the pipeline’s operator, which is fully owned by Russia’s sanctioned energy giant Gazprom — in the Swiss city of Steinhausen for negotiations.
Grenell denied participating in the reported talks.
The Bild report notes that a potential deal could give the U.S. control over Russian gas flows via Nord Stream 2, with American investors — including businessman Stephen Lynch — allegedly expressing interest in the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 operators.
A U.S.-led consortium had drafted the outlines of a post-sanctions deal with Gazprom, The Financial Times reported Sunday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the discussions.
The effort is being led by Nord Stream 2’s former managing director, Matthias Warnig, a former East German spy and longtime associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to FT.
“In this way, according to the calculation, Americans would regulate the German gas tap and earn money at the same time,” Bild wrote, noting that the U.S. government itself would not be directly involved.
The German government has reportedly not participated in the confidential talks in Switzerland. It remains unclear whether a deal to restart Nord Stream 2 will materialize, Bild wrote.
On Monday, the Kremlin dismissed the Bild report.
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