MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Numerous questions remain regarding the potential operation of the intact line of Nord Stream 2, though from a technical standpoint, it remains functional, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told journalists.
"Technically, the pipeline is in working condition. The broader issue concerns the feasibility of deliveries and the overall possibility of operation. At this stage, there are numerous unresolved questions. As we know, there is no consumer and no contract in place. But from a technical perspective, the pipeline is operational," he stated.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier that Moscow and Washington were engaged in discussions regarding the Nord Stream pipelines. He noted that it would be interesting to see whether the United States would leverage its influence over Europe to prevent it from rejecting Russian gas.
On March 4, German newspaper Bild reported citing sources that the German government was examining ways to prevent Nord Stream 2 from being put into operation as a result of potential agreements between Russia and the United States. According to the publication, secret negotiations on the possible resumption of Russian gas deliveries to Germany had been taking place in Switzerland for several weeks. The central focus of these discussions, the newspaper noted, was Nord Stream 2.
The construction of Nord Stream 2 was completed on September 10, 2021. The pipeline consists of two lines with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year, running from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. On September 26, 2022, unprecedented destruction was recorded on three lines of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, leaving only one line of the latter intact. The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office launched a criminal case on charges of an act of international terrorism. It is currently impossible to determine the timeframe for restoring the pipelines’ functionality.