US Investor’s Bold Proposal to Revive Russian Gas Pipeline Sparks Debate in Europe

In May, an American entrepreneur approached senior German economic officials with an ambitious idea: to purchase a Russian undersea pipeline and eventually restart its flow of natural gas to Germany.

Stephen P. Lynch, the investor behind the proposal, had previously presented his concept to the former U.S. administration, anticipating interest in securing American influence over a critical energy asset. Now, German authorities sought to evaluate his plan firsthand, considering a potential acquisition of the heavily scrutinized Nord Stream 2 pipeline that lies beneath the Baltic Sea.

During a meeting on May 6 in Berlin, German officials expressed skepticism, questioning how Lynch intended to convince them to allow the transport of Russian gas through a pipeline partially damaged by sabotage in 2022. Lynch responded that persuading them was not his responsibility, predicting that Germany would eventually recognize the economic advantages of resuming imports of affordable Russian gas.

This proposal emerges amid heightened geopolitical maneuvering following renewed engagement between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, placing Europe’s energy future at the center of growing vulnerabilities as the continent strives for greater energy independence.

In recent weeks, political leaders in Berlin and Brussels have moved decisively to eliminate any prospects of reintroducing Russian gas supplies. Their efforts aim to break from the pre-2022 era when Europe’s dependence on inexpensive Russian energy granted Moscow significant leverage. Ahead of a White House meeting with Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the German government reiterated its firm stance against activating Nord Stream 2.

Following Russia’s military buildup, President Joe Biden pledged that Nord Stream 2 would never become operational if Moscow invaded Ukraine, imposing sanctions on the pipeline’s state-owned operator. Germany subsequently blocked the pipeline’s launch. In the wake of the invasion, European nations and businesses have drastically curtailed Russian gas imports, seeking to economically penalize Moscow despite the significant costs involved.