A Trump supporter aims to purchase Nord Stream 2, believing it will strengthen Ukraine's position in negotiations with Russia.

American billionaire and financier Stephen Lynch, one of the sponsors of elected President Donald Trump, is interested in purchasing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. He has already approached the U.S. government requesting permission to participate in the relevant bidding process. The businessman asserts that this move would provide Washington with leverage in any peace negotiations with Russia, particularly concerning the war in Ukraine. Lynch claims that the pipeline could be acquired by Russian puppets.

This information was reported by the Wall Street Journal. The pipeline is expected to be put up for auction as part of bankruptcy proceedings in Switzerland, with the current scheduled date being January 2025.

The publication emphasizes that back in February this year, Lynch requested a license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury that would allow him to negotiate the purchase of the pipeline with individuals who are under American sanctions. This letter of request has been obtained by the publication.

Lynch stated that the pipeline, estimated to be worth approximately $11 billion, could be "bought for pennies." He also suggested that many investors would refrain from participating in the auction due to geopolitical considerations, and among the other bidders, there would likely be Russian puppets, Chinese companies, or other entities contrary to U.S. interests.

According to WSJ, the billionaire emphasized in discussions with American officials that by acquiring this pipeline, the U.S. would secure leverage in any peace negotiations with Russia, particularly to end the war in Ukraine. Lynch also believes that owning this pipeline would enable Washington to "control energy supplies to Europe until the end of the fossil fuel era."

Notably, Stephen Lynch is an American investor who spent nearly two decades conducting business in Moscow. He previously received a license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to finalize the acquisition of the Swiss subsidiary of Russia's Sberbank in 2022, after Washington imposed sanctions on the parent company. In 2007, he participated with a group of investors in a sham auction for the assets of the former Yukos. At that time, questions arose regarding his connections with the Russian government and potential collusion, WSJ reports. Lynch also financially supported Donald Trump's presidential campaign and claimed that he "wants to be the richest person you've never heard of."

Sabotage of the "Nord Streams"

"Nord Stream 2" is an extension of the "Nord Stream" pipeline in the Baltic Sea, measuring 1,234 km in length. It runs through the economic zones and territorial waters of five countries: Denmark, Germany, Russia, Finland, and Sweden.

In the fall of 2022, both lines of the "Nord Stream 1" pipeline, as well as one of the two lines of "Nord Stream 2," were damaged by explosions. Russia and the West blame each other for this incident, but both deny any involvement.

The main suspect in the sabotage of "Nord Stream 2" is a Ukrainian diving instructor named Vladimir. The man was residing in Poland. Vladimir has not yet been arrested. Evidently, he managed to leave Poland. His whereabouts are currently unknown. In August 2024, German Attorney General Jens Rommel issued the first arrest warrant for him.

According to investigators from The Wall Street Journal, President Volodymyr Zelensky was aware of the planning for the sabotage operation of "Nord Stream" and gave verbal consent for its execution. However, once the CIA became aware of these plans, he demanded that the operation be canceled. Nevertheless, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valeriy Zaluzhny did not execute the order. Ukraine denies this information.

At the end of August this year, German media reported that Poland might have warned the Ukrainian Vladimir Zhuravlyov, who is suspected in Germany of the "Nord Stream" explosions, about the arrest warrant. He managed to slip through the hands of investigators due to the Polish side's refusal to cooperate with Berlin. Furthermore, Zhuravlyov may have left for Ukraine in a vehicle belonging to the Ukrainian embassy in Warsaw.