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Germany will not change its position on the completion of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline even after the change of power in the United States.
“We will not have to talk about European sovereignty if it means that in the future we will do everything the way Washington wants. The federal government will not change its attitude towards the project,” German Chancellor Heiko Mas said in an interview with the agency. dpa.
According to him, Washington and Berlin adhere to a single line on key issues, but problems will continue to exist in projects like Nord Stream 2 in the future.
“It is important that we stick to a single line in the central strategic and geopolitical issues, we are on the same side,” concluded Mas.
What is known about the Russian gas pipeline.
Nord Stream 2 will avoid transit states (Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and other Eastern European countries) through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany.
The project is estimated at 9.5 billion euros. It is being implemented by Gazprom in alliance with the European companies Engie, Uniper, OMV, Shell, Wintershall. They pledged to finance Nord Stream 2 in total by 50%, i.e. for 950 million euros each. Gazprom will provide the second half of the funds: 4,750 million euros.
Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic States and the United States criticize the SP-2. In his view, the EU may become dependent on Russian gas. Ukraine also does not want to lose its role as a gas transit country. In this case, you will lose 3 billion in annual revenue. Berlin is committed to guaranteeing transit through Ukraine even after the construction of the gas pipeline.
As reported by OBOZREVATEL, US sanctions are the main obstacle to the completion of the construction of Nord Stream 2. As of October 20, they refer to insurance and certified companies that work with ships.It will not be possible to complete and commission the pipeline without certification and insurance. According to Nord Stream 2 AG, the restrictions will affect more than a hundred European companies.
The US Department of State has released a clarification stating that not only companies that provide ships for the construction of Nord Stream 2 will fall under US sanctions, but also those that are dedicated to modernizing the ships that must complete it, install the necessary equipment on them, or finance these processes.
At the beginning of the year, Russia promised to complete the laying of the gas pipeline in late 2020 or early 2021, but works have not yet begun. The most likely candidate for the role of pipelayer is the Akademik Chersky, which has been in the Baltic Sea since May. The problem remains the lack of insurance, without which it is impossible to lay pipes in Danish waters.
The German newspaper Bild believes that the United States, under the leadership of newly elected President Joe Biden, will be able to stop Nord Stream 2 forever. At the same time, the Russians’ hopes that the new head of state can ease sanctions are in vain.
Additionally, the US government is preparing new lists of companies that may be subject to sanctions due to their work with the Nord Stream 2 project.
On December 23, it became known that Russia transferred Nord Stream 2 AG (the Nord Stream 2 design company) from the ownership of parent company Gazprom to Gazprom International Projects.
