An American investor has tried to convince Germany's top economic officials of a bold plan: Buying the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2.
That investor was Stephen P. Lynch. He previously presented a plan to buy Nord Stream 2 to the Trump administration.
When Lynch directly presented the proposal to take over Nord Stream 2 at a meeting in Berlin on May 6, German officials were skeptical, the American investor recounted.
When asked how to convince Germany to allow Russian gas to continue flowing through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was partially sabotaged in 2022, Lynch replied that he believes that in the end, the Germans themselves will see the benefits of buying cheap Russian gas.
In recent weeks, leaders in Berlin and Brussels have sought to completely eliminate the possibility of re- importing Russian gas.
When President Trump meets German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House this week, Mr. Merz will once again reaffirm his stance against the revival of Nord Stream 2, the German Chancellor's spokesman revealed.
Last week, Mr. Merz said Germany would do all it could to ensure Nord Stream 2 could not be put back into operation.
Last month, the European Union also said it was considering imposing sanctions to prevent any concerns, especially from investors, about pursuing any activities related to Nord Stream.
The new move on Nord Stream 2 comes as US and Russian officials are revealing the possibility of cooperation in selling fossil fuels to Europe.
Investor Lynch believes that Europe will have to accept increased gas imports from Russia and allowing an American company to own Nord Stream 2 will help the West better control Russia's gas sales, while helping Europe avoid direct transactions with sanctioned Russian organizations and individuals.
The $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, owned by Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom and funded by many major European energy companies, has been reported. The operator of Nord Stream 2 - Nord Stream 2 AG - is in the process of restructuring debt in a Swiss court.
Lynch said that if he is granted a license to negotiate a buyback, he will mobilize other investors and expect to buy at a large discount. He also affirmed that all money for the Russian side will be held in a deposit account until the end of the conflict in Ukraine.
