Merz stated that Germany will not allow the exploitation of "Nord Stream-2" – Financial Times

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has ruled out the possibility of launching the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. He also confirmed his intention to resist the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, UNN reports, citing FT.

Details

Friedrich Merz, answering the question of whether the government is considering allowing the project to be put into operation, noted the following:

Currently, Nord Stream 2 does not have a license to operate, and this will not change

Let us remind you

The construction of the $11 billion gas pipeline was completed in 2021, but it was never put into operation. The German government stopped the launch amid the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. As reported, the US and Russia are conducting secret negotiations on the purchase by American investors of the damaged gas pipeline on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Against the background of these news, the German government is considering possible measures to prevent the restoration of the project.

Such negotiations would be absolutely the wrong direction

The possibility of lifting sanctions against Nord Stream 2 was considered in April this year in the Biden administration. In early May, the EU threatened to finally block Nord Stream 2 in case of Russia's refusal to cease fire.

Reference

Nord Stream 2 is a Russian gas pipeline built to supply gas to Germany bypassing Ukraine via the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Length: over 1,200 km.

Capacity: 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

Operator: Nord Stream 2 AG (a subsidiary of Gazprom, registered in Switzerland).

Project cost: approximately $11 billion.

Construction completion: 2021.

The launch was stopped in February 2022 after Russia recognized the independence of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR", before the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine. In September 2022, both lines of the gas pipeline were damaged as a result of explosions.