Russian Novatek official visits Washington to influence Arctic LNG 2 sanctions

According to a story in High North News, a senior executive from the Russian energy company Novatek traveled to Washington, D.C. last week for discussions about U.S. sanctions affecting the company’s Arctic LNG 2 project. The visit coincides with increasing restrictions on Novatek’s operations and may also represent an attempt to influence the incoming Trump administration’s approach to Arctic energy and sanctions policy.

• Sanctions imposed by the U.S. have targeted Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2 project, its Belokamenka assembly yard, Chinese suppliers, and a growing fleet of shadow fleet LNG carriers.
• A senior Novatek official visited Washington, D.C. to engage in discussions about the impact of these sanctions. The U.S. State Department has not commented on the visit.
• Novatek has a history of lobbying in the U.S., having worked with firms like Qorvis and Mercury and spending over $1.2 million on such efforts between 2014 and 2017. In 2023, Novatek’s subsidiary, Arctic LNG 2, spent an additional $300,000 on lobbying activities.
• The timing of the visit suggests it could be linked to attempts to establish dialogue with the incoming Trump administration and potentially shape its Arctic and energy policy priorities.