MOSCOW, August 3. /TASS/. Ex-Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroeder asked Russian President Vladimir Putin at their meeting whether the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline can be used for gas deliveries to Europe if needed, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.
"The ex-Chancellor asked whether the Nord Stream 2 can be engaged, in the severe crisis situation, speaking hypothetically. In other words, Putin was not the initiator. Putin did not suggest that. However, Putin said this is possible in terms of technology; a huge effort was completed and this project, a very complex mechanism, is ready to be used at once," Peskov said.
Even if the Nord Stream 2 is launched now, it will only be possible to pump a half of initially booked gas volume over it, the Kremlin spokesman said. "Even if we eventually imagine that we activated the Nord Stream 2 now, we will be able to pump 27.5 bln cubic meters [of gas], not more, until the end of the year. A half was spent for our domestic consumption," Peskov noted.
"The President told Schroeder in detail about all that," he added.