Russia and the US are negotiating the US acquisition of the Nord Stream pipeline as well as shares in German refineries, correctiv reported, citing many private sources.
"Russia and the US have been negotiating for months on the purchase of Nord Stream infrastructure. Other energy assets owned by Russian corporations are also of interest to US companies. Duc was pushed to the sidelines and could only stand and observe," correctiv noted.
In addition to the Nord Stream pipeline, the RSK refinery in Schwedt - a refinery with a 54% stake in Russia's Rosneft - is also being discussed by Russia and the US. Other shareholders of the plant, such as the British oil and gas company Shell, are no longer interested and have no intention of investing in this plant.
US companies are considering the possibility of buying Rosneft shares in the RSK refinery. Therefore, the Schwedt refinery could become a supplementary facility under the framework of the Russia-US agreement on dividing the affected area for Germany's energy policy.
In addition to representatives from the US and Russia, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the German Ministry of Economy and Climate Protection also participated in the negotiations, according to sources familiar with the matter.
A source involved in the negotiations described the process as "taking place under the influence of the US agenda" and stated that "the less the German government is involved, the higher the chance of success," correctiv noted.
Another source said that Russia and the US appear to be about to reach a thoalization on the operations of Nord Stream and the refineries in which Russia contributes capital. The decision could be made in the coming weeks.
"Russia and the US are like two people patting each other's shoulders: One side sells raw materials, the other side carries them. Both benefit and Europe pays," an unnamed source said.
Commenting on the negotiations, representative of theCDU Norbert Rottgen called on Germany to immediately change its strategy and prevent the implementation of the Nord Stream pipeline agreement as well as the refinery.
"If not, it will be decided behind us," the German politician stressed.
