Russia could miss the deadline to begin pumping gas to Europe through the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline unless Denmark approves construction in its waters in the next few weeks.
The 9.5 billion euro link that will carry gas from Kremlin-controlled Gazprom to Germany has received authorization from several of the Baltic Sea nations whose waters it will cross, but not Denmark. Permit applications with the Danish Energy Agency for two different proposed routes have been pending for months, throwing the planned year-end launch date into doubt.
