Top US and Russian officials, including US special envoy Jared Kushner, have discussed bringing a US investor into the Nord Stream pipelines that once carried gas to Germany, five people with knowledge of the talks told Reuters.

The discussions also involved Kirill Dmitriev, a close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dmitriev and Kushner have met in Moscow and New York in recent weeks as part of efforts to broker a truce between Russia and Ukraine.

A White House official said any deal must benefit US taxpayers and companies, but added there had been no Nord Stream discussions recently. A representative for Dmitriev declined to comment.

Any restart faces steep barriers. The pipelines are sanctioned by both the US and the European Union, making a revival illegal under current rules. A US official said a deal is unlikely in the medium term.

President Trump could waive or soften US sanctions, but that would get harder if Democrats win Congress in next month’s midterm elections.