MOSCOW, December 28. /TASS/. The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project should not concern the United States as this is an exclusively European matter, Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Rossiya-24 TV channel on Friday.

"If the Nord Stream 2 involved some territory belonging to the United States, I would understand Washington's interest in these issues. This is a European matter altogether. This does not concern anyone except for the countries involved in the project geographically or financially," Zakharova said.

On December 20, US President Donald Trump signed the US defense budget for the 2020 fiscal year which envisages sanctions against companies participating in the construction of Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream gas pipelines. Switzerland's Allseas company which lays pipes for the Nord Stream 2 project has suspended work and recalled ships involved in the construction, fearing possible US sanctions.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said earlier that the project's operator - Nord Stream 2 AG - may complete construction of the gas pipeline even without participation of foreign contractors. He added that the Russian Energy Ministry expects the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to be completed by the end of 2020.