The German government remains committed to completing the Nord Stream 2 project despite strong objections from Washington. Photo: AP According to Bloomberg, Foreign Minister Maas affirmed that it is too early to conclude that the US will not impose additional sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 project. Maas emphasized, in fact, in US politics, neither Democrats nor Republicans have a positive view of the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. However, Minister Maas expects that the gas cooperation project between Moscow and Berlin will no longer be a conflict in US-German relations. The US has repeatedly voiced its objections and continuously put pressure on the implementation of the Russian gas project. Most recently, Washington imposed sanctions on 13 Russian ships and 3 companies related to the project, but lifted sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG – the company operating the Stream project. The North 2, and CEO Matthias Warnig. Speaking at a press conference on May 19, Foreign Minister Maas said the US decision was “a constructive step”, and affirmed that Berlin would continue to dialogue with its partners in Washington. The German government remains committed to completing the Nord Stream 2 project despite strong objections from Washington, and asserts that this pipeline will help ensure Europe’s energy security and is completely a economic project. In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 said that the Nord Stream 2 project is ready to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany.

On April 27, Russia’s Akademic Chersky pipe-laying vessel began installing the unfinished pipeline in Danish territorial waters. According to Foreign Minister Maas, it is impractical to consider the project to bring gas from Russia to Germany as a political lever of Russia. “Based on our previous assessment, the Northern Flow 2 project is purely related to energy policy. Therefore, Germany should not see this project as a move to influence the Russia ”- German Foreign Minister said. German officials have repeatedly asserted that they consider completion of the Northern Flow 2 project construction as essential. Berlin considers this project an economic one. However, the German government maintains that Ukraine should play the role of transshipment of gas from Russia to Europe, after the Northern Flow 2 pipeline becomes operational. Germany is now abandoning coal and nuclear power to convert to renewable sources that do not pose a problem for its industry, which needs more gas. In a related development, the project operator Nord Stream 2 AG announced on April 27 that Russia’s Akademic Chersky pipe-laying vessel began to install the unfinished pipeline in Danish territorial waters. “After conducting sea trials, the Akademic Chersky has begun work on the installation of the pipeline in the Danish exclusive economic zone from today,” said Nord Stream 2 AG on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Fortuna – another Russian pipe-laying vessel also continues to carry out the construction of the project in Danish territorial waters under license. Up to now, the Northern Flow 2 project is 95% complete, only the final 121km of the pipeline have to be installed.