MOSCOW – Russia can independently build the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe if the United States imposes sanctions against participants in the project, the Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov said.
“Russia has such capability, but we hope that such hooliganism does not happen,” Peskov told RBC when asked if President Vladimir Putin really promised at a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Russia would fully finance Nord Stream 2 if the U.S. imposed sanctions against the project.
Germany’s Suddeutsche Zeitung, citing informed sources, reported on Sept. 22 that Putin told Merkel at a meeting in Meseberg on August 18 that Russia would be willing to fully finance the construction of Nord Stream 2 if the U.S. imposed sanctions against participants in the project consortium.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will run more than 1,200 km across the Baltic Sea, connecting gas suppliers in Russia with consumers in Europe. It will have capacity to carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The project is being implemented by Russia’s Gazprom in an alliance with European companies Engie, Uniper, OMV, Shell and Wintershall.
U.S. President Donald Trump said last Tuesday that Washington is not considering imposing sanctions against companies participating in the construction of Nord Stream 2.
