Russia: EU and Germany Must Not Delay Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

As the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has emerged as a subject in Moscow-Western political tensions, Russia on Monday asked Germany and the European Union to move quickly on certification. Russian gas export capacity under the Baltic Sea could be increased to 110 billion cubic metres per year with the construction of a pipeline to Germany.

Geopolitical tensions have been running high since construction was completed in September for the project led by Russia’s Gazprom with regulatory permission due no later than the second half of this year.

“The certification procedure by Germany’s regulators and the European Commission should not be artificially protracted and politicized,” said Russia’s Foreign Ministry, “It has to be conducted in strict compliance with the current norms.”

Since Russia’s 2014 takeover of the Crimean peninsula, Germany has provided aid and diplomatic support to Ukraine during its confrontation with Moscow.

It is expected that discussions on Nord Stream 2 and Russia’s increasing military presence near the Ukrainian border will be on the agenda when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meets with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday during her working tour in Russia

In a statement made today, Baerbock noted that the pipeline is on hold and does not comply with European energy laws.

Original source material for this article taken from here