If necessary, the European Union should use the Nord Stream 2 project as a tool against Russia. This was announced on March 6 by the chairman of the European People’s Party faction Manfred Weber.
Since the German authorities are not going to abandon the construction of the gas pipeline, the EU needs to use the project as a “leverage in foreign policy” and link its operation with the “further behavior” of Russia.
Nord Stream 2 economically stabilizes the system of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, which is hugely opposed to the EU and its members, ”he told Der Spiegel.
He also called on Europe “to abandon its naivety in dealing with Putin and other geopolitical players.”
On the eve, the head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev, following a meeting with State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany Miguel Berger, said that Germany had confirmed its interest in the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project.
In particular, according to Kosachev, Germany understands all the risks and problems that are associated with maintaining the main option for the transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukraine.
On March 4, the Danish Maritime Administration announced that it is planned to complete the project at the end of September this year. We are talking about works near the island of Bornholm, where the ships “Fortuna” and “Akademik Chersky” were sent to lay pipes.
On March 1, it became known that the German authorities are considering the implementation of the project, regardless of anti-Russian sanctions. It was noted that Berlin will discuss with Washington the lifting of sanctions against this pipeline as soon as the US Senate approves candidates for all posts.
Nord Stream 2 envisages the construction of two strings of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The project is actively opposed by the United States, which is promoting its liquefied natural gas to the EU, as well as Ukraine and a number of European countries.