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US Secretary of State and Sweden’s Foreign Minister discussed Nord Stream - 2 project

The two also discussed areas of mutual concern, including the danger that Nord Stream-2 poses to European energy security

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo EPA-EFE/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo

© EPA-EFE/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

WASHINGTON, May 18. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, who opposes the construction of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline, discussed this project in a phone conversation with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement.

"Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke by phone today with Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstr·m. The two also discussed areas of mutual concern, including the danger that Nord Stream-2 poses to European energy security," she said.

According to her Pompeo and Wallstrom also exchanges views on "the fight to defeat ISIS." (the Islamic State group - banned in Russia - TASS)

"The Secretary thanked the Government of Sweden for its tireless advocacy in support of U.S. citizens as the United States’ protecting power in North Korea," Nauert added.

The US has no diplomatic relations with North Korea. Sweden represents the interests of Washington in that country via its embassy in Pyongyang.

Speaking at the hearings on the approval of his candidacy for the post of Secretary of State in April Pompeo said: "I think it will be a huge opportunity for the US and others if we can achieve the conditions under which Russia will have less opportunities to turn off the gas pipelines, create risks or threaten our partners and friends around the world." Pompeo said he is eagerly awaiting the moment when he will be able to join the discussion over the Nord Stream 2 project to be sure that there are alternatives to this project that will be in the interests of the West rather than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nord Stream-2 is an international project for the construction of a gas pipeline that will run across the bottom of the Baltic Sea from the Russian coast to Germany bypassing transit states, such as Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and other Eastern European and Baltic countries.

The pipeline’s capacity will be 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year and it is planned to be commissioned in late 2019.

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