**Russia Wants to Resume Energy Supplies to Europe**
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on March 26 that resuming Russian energy supplies to Europe is good for both Russia and the United States. He claimed that there are talks about restoring the Nord Stream pipelines, which connect Russia to Germany.
Lavrov said that while there are disagreements, both sides want normal energy supply to Europe. He mentioned the Nord Stream pipelines, which were damaged in a sabotage attack in September 2022. The incident ended Russian gas flows to Europe through this route.
**Nord Stream: A Key Route for Russian Gas Exports**
The Nord Stream pipelines were built under the Baltic Sea and connected Russia to Germany. One of them started operations in 2011, while the other was completed but never became operational. Lavrov accused European leaders of blocking efforts to restore the pipelines, targeting German Economy Minister Robert Habeck, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
**Efforts to Restart Nord Stream**
Lavrov claimed that some people in Europe are against restoring the Nord Stream pipelines. He mentioned Matthias Warnig, a former East German intelligence officer and longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Warnig is reportedly lobbying U.S. officials to support a potential restart of Nord Stream 2.
**Requirements for Reviving Nord Stream 2**
Any deal to revive Nord Stream 2 would require Washington to lift sanctions and for Germany to approve resuming Russian gas imports. The Trump administration has sought to broker a peace deal in Ukraine while restoring ties with Russia, reportedly eyeing cooperation in the energy sector and the Arctic.
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