European leaders are strategizing to prevent the region from becoming dependent on cheap Russian gas, concerned about the power it would give to the Kremlin.
Their recent actions come as an American investor and donor to the Trump campaign is betting on Europe changing its stance and the United States taking interest.
In a meeting with German economic officials last month, Stephen P. Lynch, the investor, proposed purchasing the controversial Russian underwater pipeline, Nord Stream 2, with the intention of eventually delivering natural gas to Germany. He had already presented this idea to the Trump administration, assuming that the U.S. would want to have control over a crucial piece of energy infrastructure.
The German officials were doubtful, according to Mr. Lynch in an interview with The New York Times. Additionally, Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who is meeting with President Trump on Thursday, will reiterate his opposition to using Nord Stream 2 if the topic is brought up, as stated by his spokesperson earlier this week.
The stance of the Trump administration on this potential deal is unclear, although the American president has expressed interest in conducting business with Russia in his renewed engagement with President Vladimir V. Putin. In April, American officials outlined a potential peace plan for Ukraine that included the possibility of resuming energy cooperation with Russia, as reported by two anonymous sources familiar with the closed-door discussions.
The political maneuvering over the pipeline demonstrates how the future of Europe’s energy supply is once again becoming a source of tension and vulnerability.
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