Russia negotiating with US to revive Nord Stream pipelines, Lavrov says
Moscow is negotiating with the United States to restore the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Tuesday.
In an interview with Russia’s Channel One, Lavrov revealed ongoing talks with the U.S. about the Nord Stream pipelines, crippled since 2022 explosions halted their role as Europe’s largest Russian gas conduit.
"There are differences, of course, but isn’t restoring Europe’s normal energy supply in the interest of more than just the U.S. and Russia? We’re talking Nord Stream," Lavrov said, suggesting American influence could sway Europe against abandoning Russian gas.
He called European leaders like Germany’s Robert Habeck, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius "sick or suicidal" for opposing the pipelines’ revival, noting Europe pays far more for energy than U.S. businesses.
Nord Stream 1 delivered gas from 2011 until Russia cut flows in 2022, while the $11 billion Nord Stream 2, completed in 2021, never launched after Germany shelved it days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Reports from Germany’s Bild on March 3 hinted at secret U.S.-Russia talks to sell the damaged Nord Stream 2 to American investors, a prospect Berlin is scrambling to block.
On March 17, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck slammed any revival as "absolutely the wrong direction," reflecting Europe’s push to ditch Russian energy amid the Ukraine war.
