Blinken warns Germany over Nord Stream 2 pipeline
US Secretary of Talk about Antony Blinken said on Tuesday the Nord Stream 2 pipeline appearing built from Russia to Germany ran counter to the European Union's own interests and may undermine Ukraine. Germany is pressing for the pipeline's completion, despite sustained U.S. opposition over greater than a decade. Speaking on his initial visit to NATO, Blinken said he was because of meet his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, to go over the issue.
"President (Joe) Biden provides been clear, he believes the pipeline is normally a bad idea, bad for Europe, bad for the United States, ultimately it is on contradiction to the EU's personal security goals," Blinken stated as he met NATO Secretary-Basic Jens Stoltenberg."It has the potential to undermine the passions of Ukraine, Poland and a number of close companions and allies," Blinken said, saying a U.S. law needed Washington to impose sanctions on corporations taking part in the Nord Stream 2 project.
Nord Stream 2 can bypass Ukraine, a Western ally, potentially depriving it of valuable transit costs. It will increase European strength dependency on Russia and contend with shipments of U.S. liquefied natural gas. The pipeline has already been around 95% constructed, and could be done by September, analysts who screen tracking data say.The United States fears Russia might use Nord Stream 2 as leverage to weaken EU states by increasing dependency on Moscow.
