A Return to Old Tactics: How Trump's Inner Circle Might Pull Off a New Gas Deal with Russia

Donald Trump’s inner circle is looking for a way to profit from the return of Russian gas to Europe, but this plan could fall apart before it even gets off the ground. Key infrastructure for transit through Ukraine has been destroyed, the European Union is preparing to completely abandon Russian energy resources, and the very idea of American mediation is reminiscent of the infamous “RosUkrEnergo” scheme.

Diplomat Volodymyr Ogryzko explained to 24 Channel why Russia will not be able to return to the European gas market, how Trump’s inner circle could profit from the war, and why agreements with the Kremlin are once again turning out to be a sham.

Technological Collapse and the European Embargo

U.S. media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, have reported on plans by Donald Trump’s inner circle initiate the resumption of Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukrainian territory. This plan, allegedly discussed by Jared Kushner and Steven Witkoff, involves bringing in an American intermediary to generate profits. However, this idea is shattered by the harsh reality of war.

The main obstacle to implementing such a plan lies in the technological realm. The key hub for gas transportation – the “Sudzha” gas metering station in the Kursk region – suffered critical damage during the fighting.

According to Volodymyr Ogryzko, this massive compressor station has effectively been reduced to a “pile of molecules,” and active fighting continues where the large-diameter pipelines once stood. It will be impossible to restore this infrastructure under wartime conditions for many months or even years.

Furthermore, Europe’s political landscape has changed dramatically. The European Union made a final decisionis moving toward a complete phase-out of Russian energy resources by 2027. European leaders are firmly stating that a return to purchasing gas from Russia is impossible, which makes the U.S. plan to find new markets for Moscow completely unfeasible.

Full interview with Volodymyr Ogryzko: watch the video

The specter of past corruption schemes

The initiative to create a U.S. intermediary company for the transit of Russian gas is strikingly reminiscent of the infamous “RosUkrEnergo” scheme.

The “RosUkrEnergo” scheme was a gas intermediary through which Russia supplied gas to Ukraine from 2006 to 2009. The company was registered in Switzerland, and its co-owners were Gazprom and entities linked to Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash. The scheme drew numerous accusations of a lack of transparency, corruption risks, and the use of gas contracts to generate excessive profits for intermediaries. In January 2009, following yet another gas crisis, RosUkrEnergo was removed from the supply chain for Russian gas to Ukraine.

Such intermediaries have historically been used to corrupt political elites on both sides and generate shadow windfalls. The attempt by Trump’s inner circle to implement such a scenario appears to be an effort to profit from the geopolitical crisis by lining both pockets at the same time.

However, even the Kremlin acknowledges the unrealistic nature of this plan – the Russian dictator’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has publicly confirmed that there are no options for transporting the gas. This indicates that the behind-the-scenes plans of American negotiators are nothing more than political fantasy that ignores the realities on the ground.

The Political Crisis in the U.S. and the Role of Congress

Donald Trump’s attempts to implement his own foreign policy by bypassing traditional institutions will face serious resistance. Reports of a plan to govern the country without Congress’s involvement seem dubious given the nature of the American political system. Congress’s key instrument of influence is its control over the budget.

Any large-scale foreign policy or military moves, such as the redeployment of aircraft carrier strike groups or the deployment of air defense systems, require massive funding. Trump’s strategy of becoming “Mr. Veto” and blocking legislative initiatives will inevitably lead to a fierce confrontation. Should it lose control of Congress, the new administration will face the threat of large-scale investigations.

Corruption cases involving the Trump family He and his closest advisers may come under close scrutiny from members of Congress. Moreover, within the Republican Party itself, opposition to the leader’s radical actions is growing, which will force him to seek compromises so as not to destroy the party’s electoral prospects in the next election.

Why Agreements with Russia Don’t Work

Any attempts to freeze the conflict or reach partial ceasefires with the Kremlin are doomed to failure due to the Russian side’s absolute unwillingness to negotiate. A striking example of this was the recent humanitarian mission in the temporarily occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region. Russian troops cynically exploited the ceasefire, which had been declared to allow the evacuation of civilians, for purely military purposes.

Instead of the declared demining vehicles, the occupiers deployed new units and at least 30 “Grad” multiple rocket launchers to this section of the front. This allowed the enemy to establish new positions and intensify shelling of Kherson immediately after the so-called ceasefire ended.

Melania Trump’s involvement in this mission was purely for pre-election publicity, intended to demonstrate the “humanity” of the Trump team on the eve of the election.

In reality, Russia has once again proven that it uses diplomatic initiatives solely to prepare for further military operations.

Western Military Pragmatism

Despite political turbulence in Washington, support for Ukraine has a solid foundation in Western military circles. Unlike politicians, who are often guided by electoral cycles, military leaders in the U.S. and Europe soberly assess the level of the Russian threat. The Pentagon and European defense ministries view arms supplies to Ukraine as a critically important element of their own security.

By arming the Ukrainian army, Western militaries are buying time to prepare their own countries for a possible direct confrontation with Russia. It is precisely this pragmatic interest of the military establishment that will remain a powerful factor pressuring the governments of Western nations to continue military aid to Kyiv, regardless of who holds office.