EU Commission Says It Sees No Future for Nord Stream Restart

Commission Dismisses Restart Talk

On Wednesday, 28 October, the European Commission said it sees no future for restarting the disused Nord Stream gas pipeline system. The statement responded to reports that Russian investment fund administrator Kirill Dmitriev and U.S. Special Envoy Jared Kushner had discussed reviving the Baltic Sea link. According to Maritime Executive, a Commission spokesperson said Europe wants no role in a U.S.-Russian plan to return Russian fuel to the European market.

According to Maritime Executive, a restart could supply Northern Europe with cheaper Russian natural gas and reduce demand for American LNG exports to the continent. Dmitriev and Kushner reportedly discussed that prospect.

”We Do Not Forget”

Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho told Euronews that the EU remains wary of dependence on Russian fossil fuels. “We know far too well the hidden costs of being dependent on Russia for the purchase of fossil fuels. They have been weaponized and we have been paying the price, so we do not forget that,” Pinho said.

Pinho also cited European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s position that sanctions on Russian energy will remain until Moscow ends the war in Ukraine.

Legal Barrier Beyond Sanctions

Even if the war ends, Russian gas would not return to European markets automatically. Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told Euronews that EU law already in force will ban pipeline imports of Russian gas, regardless of sanctions. Under Regulation (EU) 2026/261, short-term pipeline contracts have been barred since 17 June 2026, and the last long-term contracts must end by 30 September 2027, or by 1 November 2027 in a member state at risk of missing its gas storage target. The timetable could hinder reported plans to repair Nord Stream and return it to service after the damage.

Broader U.S.-Russia Energy Talks

Earlier in October, Reuters reported that Kushner and Dmitriev had explored bringing an American investor into Nord Stream. Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, has made business deals a central part of the peace agreements he has pursued in Europe and the Middle East.

Reuters also quoted a White House spokesperson as saying Nord Stream had not recently been on the diplomatic agenda, contradicting other sources. Separately, the Financial Times reports that the White House and the Kremlin have discussed a possible U.S. role in Russia’s oil sector once the war ends. Options cited include reviving the Druzhba oil pipeline to Europe, now blocked by EU sanctions, and restoring international cooperation on the Sakhalin offshore oil and gas project.