Reconciling transatlantic differences over Nord Stream 2 Flag of Federal Republic of Germany waving in front of the German parliament building (Reichstag) in Berlin, Germany (Katatonia82/Shutterstock) From the time it was first proposed in 2011, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has divided the United States and the project’s European supporters, principally Germany. Nord Stream 2 is not simply a US-Europe issue or a US-Germany issue, however. Many in Europe, including Central and Eastern European countries, the European Parliament, and those within Germany also oppose it. The policy dispute stems in part from different perspectives on energy security. Nord Stream 2’s supporters see Russia as an economic and reliable nearby supplier of oil and gas, while the US and European critics of the project are concerned that Europe’s reliance on Russian energy supplies creates security vulnerabilities. This concern has been exacerbated by Russian aggression against Ukraine starting in 2014 and Putin’s past use of gas as a political weapon.