The federal government has signed an agreement to allow the US to buy nearly $100 billion worth of natural gas from Russia to help the country meet its carbon emissions goals.
The sale, which is expected to begin next year, is a key part of President Donald Trump’s climate agenda, which also includes his goal of reviving coal.
The US Energy Department is in charge of purchasing the gas.
The deal will also allow the United States to increase production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for export to Europe and Asia.
In a statement announcing the deal, Trump said the deal will “put the American people and businesses at the center of our energy future.”
Russia’s energy industry has struggled in recent years, especially as demand for natural gas has grown.
According to the Energy Information Administration, the Russian economy lost about 5.3 percent of its GDP in 2016, compared with a 3.5 percent contraction in the United Kingdom and 3.3% in Germany.
That’s a stark contrast to the European Union, which grew by almost 10 percent in 2016.
