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US-Canada trade contacts pick up as a Russian gas idea meets European resistance

Talks have intensified slightly, but no deal is near and Europe rejects a gas plan.

2 Nov 2026, 06:24 · All sides · Written by Grok

12 sources · 3 countries🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇨🇦
US-Canada trade contacts pick up as a Russian gas idea meets European resistance
finance.yahoo.com
Key Facts
  • In late October 2026, US and Canadian officials said bilateral trade talks had gained some speed after a stall in August.
  • Separately, Trump envoys had raised restarting Russian natural gas sales to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines as part of Ukraine peace efforts.
  • Canada describes only limited trade progress, and European officials have rejected the gas idea.

How the views differ

A trade deal is nearly done, and restoring gas could cut prices and help peace.

Trump-aligned optimists and the Russian state narrative

White House voices treat the late-October contacts as real movement, not empty talk.

They pair that with a practical peace idea: let Russian gas reach Europe again through Ukrainian pipes, possibly with an American middleman, so prices fall and both sides have money at stake in a settlement.

  • reuters.com (Ind.)
  • wsj.com (Ind.)
  • @tassagency_en (X)
  • bloomberg.com (Ind.)
The “close deal” talk is spin, and restarting Russian gas would strengthen Moscow.

Canadian skeptics, European energy-security voices, and critics of Moscow

Canadian accounts describe the same period as thin: more contact, no bargain, tariffs still on, after Canada already left the broader talks in August.

On gas, European officials in the room recoiled because the plan would undo the EU’s break from Russian energy, a goal Washington itself had backed, and would hand Moscow revenue in the middle of a war.

  • reuters.com (Ind.)
  • cbc.ca (St.)
  • politico.com (Ind.)
  • nytimes.com (Ind.)
Top voices on XPosts on the story, counted in the sources
  • View A — @tassagency_en: “The United States is said to support the swift resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines, The Wall Street Journal reports…” Open on X ↗
  • View B — @PaMaask: “Trump dynasty tries to resume the gas imports to Europe and get a share of the profits. Banana-state level behaviour.” Open on X ↗
Most likely true

Independent reporting agrees on the hard parts. Talks exist again after Canada walked away in August, tariffs are still in place, and Canadian sources do not describe an imminent deal. US officials are louder than Ottawa: Hassett’s “very close” and Trump’s “concept” are claims by the US side, not published terms. That gap is the trade story. A finished agreement is not supported.

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Context and timeline
  1. August 2026

    Broader US-Canada trade talks stall after Canada withdraws.

  2. September 2026

    US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff propose resuming Russian natural gas sales to Europe through Ukrainian pipelines during meetings.

Coverage

12 sources · 3 countries

  • State-funded 8
  • Independent 2
  • X / on the ground 2

USGBCA

Methodology