In a move that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, the administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly demanding control over a critical gas pipeline in Ukraine as part of a broader minerals deal currently under negotiation with Kiev. The deal, ostensibly focused on granting US access to Ukraine’s lucrative rare-earth metal reserves, has now emerged as a geopolitical battleground, revealing Washington’s deeper strategic ambitions.

According to a Reuters report published on April 11, the controversial demand is embedded in the fine print of the latest draft agreement – described by insiders as an “Easter egg” – and is part of a growing list of what Ukrainian officials are calling “maximalist” terms from Washington.

At the center of the dispute is a natural gas pipeline once operated by Russian energy behemoth Gazprom, which runs through Ukraine and historically served as a key conduit for gas supplies to Europe. Since the start of 2025, no gas has flowed through the pipeline due to Ukraine’s refusal to extend its transit agreement with Gazprom amid ongoing hostilities with Moscow. Nonetheless, the infrastructure remains a valuable asset – one that the United States now seeks to control via its International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

Control over the pipeline would grant Washington not just oversight over a major piece of European energy infrastructure, but a powerful lever in the broader energy war playing out between Russia and the West. By interceding in Ukraine’s gas transit network, the US could potentially influence European energy flows, undercut Moscow’s energy leverage, and further entrench........

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