May 9—Reuters reports that the U.S. and Russia are in discussions regarding the possibility of the U.S. buying Russian gas and supplying it to an energy-thirsty Europe. The Russian daily Kommersant indicates that these talks have been ongoing between Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief Ukraine negotiator Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and his counterpart, President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Reuters reports that the U.S. could invest in Gazprom, Nord Stream, or the pipeline going through Ukraine, and provide the gas that the Europeans are refusing directly from Russia. 

Witkoff would not comment to Reuters on this report, and Dmitriev claimed that such discussions were not underway. Those intent on perpetual warfare worry that the supply of Russian gas could help undermine the European opposition to a peace deal in Ukraine, which is precisely why Witkoff has proposed the deal, which is also backed by President Trump. It is also "a bone for Putin to help him sell the peace deal, which is now headed for direct discussions with the parties," said a source.