US Demands Control of Gazprom's Ukrainian Pipeline, Seeks 50-50 Split in Minerals Deal

The United States has reportedly demanded control over a key Ukrainian gas pipeline, operated by Gazprom, that transports Russian gas to Europe, as part of ongoing negotiations over a minerals agreement. The pipeline, stretching from Sudzha in Russia to Uzhhorod in Ukraine, is a vital energy route and a significant piece of national infrastructure. The U.S. proposal includes a demand that the International Development Finance Corporation take control of the pipeline, a move described by some as a 'colonial shakedown'. The demand comes amid discussions on a broader minerals deal, with the U.S. seeking access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The latest U.S. proposal is described as more 'maximalist' than previous drafts, which had proposed access to $500 billion worth of rare metals, oil, and gas. Ukraine cut off the supply of gas on January 1 after its five-year contract with Gazprom expired, with both countries previously earning hundreds of millions in transit fees. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed readiness to modernize his country through such an agreement, but insists on a 50-50 revenue split and parity between the two nations. The U.S. Treasury has confirmed that technical talks are ongoing.