Russia's efforts to implement its Nord Stream 2 gas pipe, which is the Kremlin's political project, threatens the energy security of European countries, as well as draws worrying prospects for maintaining balance in the Baltic Sea ecosystem, Ukrainian intelligence says. Meanwhile, Moscow seeks to time construction completion to coincide with the national holiday, Russia Day, celebrated on June 12.
The U.S. State Department is preparing new sanctions against the construction of Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The relevant document is expected to be published today, February 19.
REUTERS
Russian President Vladimir Putin has referred to neighboring rival Ukraine as a geopolitical project of the West, while addressing leaders of Parliament factions.
Putin said the attacks on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline set to transmit gas directly from Russia to Germany bypassing Ukraine – a project seen by many as an energy security threat to the EU and an attempt to deprive Ukraine of significant transit revenues – are an attempt to make Russia pay for the geopolitical project of the West – Ukraine, an UNIAN correspondent in Russia reported February 17.
Nord Stream 2: Background
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction and operation of two gas pipeline branches with a total throughput capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. It should connect Russia s Ust-Lug and Germany s Greifswald. This new pipeline bypassing Ukraine is to be built next to the existing Nord Stream 1 pipe
It is practically impossible to complete the Nord Stream 2 project, as there are no technical or legal possibilities to this end, says Mikhail Krutikhin, a partner at the Russia-based RusEnergy consultancy. Any company potentially involved in retrofitting the Russian pipe-laying ship Fortuna would automatically face sanctions.