BERLIN, February 10. /TASS/. By freezing the Nord Stream 2 project over a rumored invasion of Ukraine by Russia, American officials are first and foremost hurting German companies and German citizens, Russian Ambassador to Berlin Sergey Nechayev said in an interview released by Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) on Thursday.
"By doing this, the US administration will first of all hurt German firms and the population of Germany," he said when commenting on a statement made by US President Joe Biden that there would be no advancement of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, should Moscow launch an invasion of Ukraine. That said, Nord Stream 2 is a multifaceted economic project, with several European corporations participating, the diplomat stressed. "And it has a win-win effect since we supply gas directly to Europe, at reasonable prices and in accordance with long-term supply contracts, and we earn money for that," he added.
Moscow is a reliable supplier, having delivered natural gas to Germany for over 50 years already, Nechayev noted. "Germany can become the number one gas distribution hub in Europe," he insisted, adding that "not everyone likes it." "If the US wants to supply liquified gas, which is much more expensive, to Germany, Germany should decide for itself whether this option is desirable and whether it will pay off," the diplomat emphasized.
Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met face-to-face in Washington on Monday. The US leader claimed that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would ‘no longer be’ and would be brought ‘to an end’, should Moscow launch an invasion of Ukraine. Scholz dodged a direct answer to the question about the future of the gas pipeline, stating that the West’s actions would be "united." Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Washington and its allies long ago turned Nord Stream 2 into an instrument for applying pressure on Moscow. Speaking about the statements made by certain Western countries and the US regarding the gas pipeline, Ryabkov slammed them as a "political circus," adding that European countries were not independent in determining their own interests.
Nord Stream 2 saga
To start pumping gas, Nord Stream 2’s operator has to obtain the green light from the German regulator. On November 16, the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) suspended the procedure to certify Nord Stream 2 AG, which is based in Zug, Switzerland, as an independent transmission operator due to organizational and legal issues. The regulator noted that the certification procedure would remain suspended until the main assets and human resources were transferred to the ownership of its German subsidiary. On January 26, 2022, Nord Stream 2 AG announced the establishment of the German subsidiary Gas for Europe GmbH, which will become the operator of the section of the gas pipeline in Germany as an independent operator of the transport system in accordance with the country’s legislation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on December 29 that Russia and its partners had fulfilled their task of creating Nord Stream 2, adding that it was up to the Europeans to decide on it now. The Russian leader noted that the pipeline was ready to go into operation. Once Moscow’s partners in Europe make a decision on it then additional volumes of the Russian gas will be pumped into it, Putin said. He also expressed confidence that the launch of Nord Stream 2 would lead to lower gas prices in Europe.