Key figures close to President Putin and President Trump’s inner circle have reportedly engaged in secret discussions to restart the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The talks aim to revive the undersea pipeline that once supplied Russian gas to Western Europe before its sabotage in 2022.
The effort, if successful, could see U.S. investors acquiring a stake in the pipeline’s operating company, potentially profiting if Russian gas resumes flowing to Germany and other European nations—contingent on a ceasefire in Ukraine and the easing of Western sanctions. The deal would also give Washington a strategic foothold in Berlin’s energy market.
Matthias Warnig, a former East German intelligence officer and close Putin ally who led Nord Stream 2 before its collapse, reportedly played a key role in securing potential backers. On the U.S. side, Richard Grenell, Trump’s former ambassador to Germany and current special envoy, has been linked to the negotiations, along with businessman Stephen Lynch as a possible investor. Both Grenell and Warnig have denied involvement, and Lynch has not commented.
