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Putin Wants to Sell More Russian Gas to Europe. Can He?

The gas receiving compressor station of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline in Lubmin, Germany, on Jan. 13, 2023.Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg
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Russian President Vladimir Putin seems confident that pipeline flows of natural gas to Europe could be stepped up if a US-brokered deal to end the war in Ukraine is agreed — raising questions about whether the continent is willing to reverse course and revive that relationship.

“If, say, the US and Russia agree on cooperation in the energy sector, then a gas pipeline for Europe could be ensured,” Putin said at a briefing in Moscow on March 13. “And this will benefit Europe, as it will receive cheap Russian gas.”