Date: September 18, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s top economic envoy and leaders of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are preparing for possible talks next year on restoring Russian gas supplies to Germany, according to two people familiar with the plans cited by Reuters.
The proposed meeting could take place as early as March 2027 and would involve Kirill Dmitriev, a close adviser to Putin and head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, alongside AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. Representatives of both the AfD and Dmitriev declined to comment on the reported preparations.
The proposed discussions would focus on the possibility of bringing Russian natural gas back to Europe’s largest economy, including examining whether the Nord Stream pipeline system could eventually be reopened. However, according to one of the people familiar with the plan, the meeting would only proceed if Russia and Ukraine first reached a framework for peace.
Organizers are reportedly considering holding the meeting outside Europe, with Israel, the United Arab Emirates and India among the possible locations. They also hope the gathering could include representatives from Russia, the AfD and the United States.
The involvement of American representatives remains uncertain. Organizers reportedly hoped that U.S. presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would participate in discussions concerning the possible restoration of Russian gas supplies. However, a senior U.S. official told Reuters that neither Witkoff nor Kushner had been informed about the proposed meeting or invited to attend.
The reported initiative comes as Germany continues to deal with the economic and energy consequences of its dramatic reduction in dependence on Russian energy following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Before the invasion and the subsequent Western sanctions, Russia supplied more than half of Germany’s natural gas and more than one-third of its crude oil imports. The longstanding energy relationship made Russia one of Germany’s most important energy suppliers and contributed to the development of major pipeline infrastructure connecting the two countries.
The Nord Stream pipelines became a central part of that relationship. Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 were designed to transport large volumes of Russian natural gas directly to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea. The pipeline system was severely disrupted after explosions damaged the pipelines in September 2022, although the circumstances surrounding the sabotage remain politically and legally contentious.
The possibility of restoring Russian gas supplies has become a particularly important issue for the AfD. Weidel has previously argued that Germany should end its restrictions on Russian oil and gas, saying that renewed access to Russian energy could help strengthen the German economy. She made similar arguments in a Reuters interview in June.
For the AfD, which remains outside Germany’s federal government, any agreement to restore Russian energy imports would ultimately require decisions by the German government and would face significant political and legal obstacles. The reported meeting would therefore have limited direct authority over German energy policy even if it takes place.
The proposed gathering nevertheless has political significance because of the AfD’s increasingly prominent position in German politics and its stated support for restoring closer economic relations with Moscow.
Dmitriev has also become an important figure in contacts between Russia and the United States. He attended a meeting in Moscow earlier in September involving U.S. representatives Witkoff and Kushner. The discussions involving Dmitriev have been part of wider diplomatic efforts surrounding relations between Washington and Moscow.
The reported gas meeting would come against the backdrop of continuing efforts to establish a peace framework between Russia and Ukraine. According to Reuters, organizers believe such an agreement would need to come first before the proposed gathering could proceed.
The timing of any possible restoration of Russian gas would also depend on the broader European energy situation. Since 2022, European countries have worked to reduce their dependence on Russian fossil fuels, increasing imports from alternative suppliers, expanding liquefied natural gas infrastructure and investing in other energy sources.
The European Union has been moving toward ending Russian gas imports altogether, making any attempt to restore large-scale Russian supplies to Germany a major policy reversal. Such a move would therefore have implications beyond Germany and could become an issue involving European energy security and relations with Russia.
The proposal has already drawn criticism from German politicians who oppose renewed dependence on Russian energy. Green Party lawmaker Michael Kellner, who previously held responsibility for energy policy during Germany’s energy crisis, said Germany should not return to its previous dependence on Russia. He argued that the country had already experienced substantial economic costs as a result of the energy crisis and should not repeat the same pattern.
Other German politicians have also raised concerns about the political implications of renewed discussions over Russian gas. The issue touches on Germany’s broader debate about energy prices, industrial competitiveness, national security and the country's relationship with Moscow.
Germany’s industrial economy was particularly exposed to the loss of inexpensive Russian pipeline gas because sectors such as chemicals, manufacturing and other energy-intensive industries had historically benefited from relatively abundant supplies. The sharp reduction in Russian gas deliveries forced German businesses and households to adapt to a radically different energy market.
Supporters of restoring Russian energy links argue that cheaper gas could help German industry and reduce energy costs. Critics argue that renewed dependence on Russian supplies could create strategic vulnerabilities and expose Germany to political pressure from Moscow.
The AfD’s position on Russia and energy has also contributed to wider debates about the party’s foreign-policy orientation. The party has called for an end to several measures directed against Russia and has supported closer economic relations, including the restoration of Russian energy supplies.
Because the AfD does not currently control Germany’s federal government, however, the proposed meeting would not itself authorize the reopening of Nord Stream or the resumption of Russian gas imports. Any major change in Germany’s energy policy would require decisions by the appropriate German authorities and would also have to take account of European Union policies and international sanctions.
The proposed meeting also illustrates the continuing intersection between energy policy and diplomacy as Germany and other European countries consider how to balance economic needs with security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
For Russia, renewed access to the German and wider European energy market would represent an important economic opportunity after years of sanctions and declining energy exports to Europe. For Germany, the question involves not only the cost and availability of energy but also the strategic consequences of again relying heavily on Russian supplies.
For now, the proposed meeting remains a plan rather than a confirmed diplomatic summit. The AfD and Dmitriev’s representatives have not publicly confirmed the arrangement, and the U.S. government has indicated that the American officials whom organizers reportedly hoped to involve have not been informed or invited.
Whether the talks take place will therefore depend on several factors, including developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the possibility of a peace framework and the political and economic debate over Russian energy in Germany and Europe.