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Only 150 kilometers remain for the completion of the “Nord Stream 2” Baltic Sea oil pipeline. Now the project could fail because of the Navalny case. However, Russia is confident.
The Russian government does not expect that the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny will lead to the stoppage of construction of the “Nord Stream 2” oil pipeline in the Baltic Sea. Spokesman Dimitri Pekov said he saw no risk. Moscow had already repeatedly emphasized in the past that the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany was an economic project and not a political one.
Russia considers the accusations to be “absurd”
However, the pressure on those involved has been mounting since the alleged poison attack on Navalny became known. There were calls from various sides to stop construction of the line. The goal: to use economic pressure to get Russia to solve the case.
Peskov denied allegations that the Russian government had anything to do with the Navalny poisoning. “Attempts to somehow associate Russia with her are unacceptable to us, they are absurd,” he told Russian news magnet Interfax. From the point of view of Nawalny supporters, the use of the neurotoxin Novitschok indicates exactly that.
The federal government does not rule out anything
The federal government leaves the future of “Nord Stream 2” open. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) believes that it is wrong to exclude something, said government spokesman Steffen Seibert. At the same time, she made it clear that it was currently too early to answer the question about the consequences. First, Russia had to make a statement on the background to the Navalny case. But that can’t be expected in a few days, Seibert said. She also noted that the Baltic Sea pipeline is an EU project.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) said yesterday that he did not expect “that the Russians will force us to change our position on” Nord Stream 2. “There are still good reasons for the pipeline. But he also emphasized that nothing since the principle could be discarded and he again asked Russia to contribute to the investigation.
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) was a bit more specific. “It is up to Russia whether it can continue with ‘Nord Stream 2’ and how it will go about it,” he said. “There is no economic issue that can ultimately be more important than the foreign and security interests of Germany and Europe,” Spahn continued.
The gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea, from Lubmin to Vyborg, is expected to deliver Russian gas to Western Europe starting next year. Construction is currently on hold due to US sanctions and it is unclear when works will resume. Only about 150 kilometers of the pipeline, which is more than 2,400 kilometers long, remains until its completion. Even before the poison attack, critics called for a final construction freeze, seeing it as increased reliance on Russia.
