Russia says US plans to buy, restart Nord Stream networks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that the United States is seeking to purchase the European segment of the Nord Stream pipelines with the aim of restoring them and later reselling Russian gas to Europe at a “significant markup.”

According to Lavrov, Washington is currently engaged in discussions on the initiative, which he said had been communicated to Moscow as an existing plan.

“Right now the Americans are conducting negotiations — at least we were told that they have such a plan — to buy the European part of the Nord Stream pipelines, restore them and take them under their control,” Lavrov said.

He added that, under the proposed arrangement, only Russian gas would be transported through the pipelines.

“Nothing other than our gas can be pumped there, which means we will supply the gas, and they will resell it,” the minister said, adding that this would likely be done “at a good markup.”

By Vafa Guliyeva