US repeats Nord Stream 2 criticism as pipeline project runs into new trouble
Bloomberg / Politico
US Vice President Mike Pence has reiterated his administration鈥檚 criticism of the controversial German-Russian Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project in the Baltic Sea, Nick Wadhams聽聽for Bloomberg. 鈥淚t is simply unacceptable for Europe鈥檚 largest economy to continue to ignore the threat of Russian aggression,鈥� Pence said at the 70th聽anniversary celebration of the NATO military alliance in Washington, which the vice president also used to rebuke Germany for not spending enough on defence and contribute its agreed share to the NATO budget. Pence said it was 鈥渁lso wrong for Germany to become dependent on Russian energy.鈥�
Meanwhile, the pipeline project has run into new legal problems as Denmark requested another assessment of its planned route, Anca Gurzu聽聽for the news website Politico. Denmark is the last country on Nord Stream 2鈥檚 planned route that has not given its approval for a construction permit. According to the article, the Danish intervention could mean that the project is delayed for several years.
The pipeline that will run parallel to the already existing predecessor Nord Stream 1聽 has been vigorously criticized repeatedly not only by the US, which wants to sell Germany its own natural gas via LNG terminals, but also by most of Germany鈥檚 eastern EU neighbours, who fear it will be used to bypass them in energy trading. Germany鈥檚 government stresses that it does not intend to undermine solidarity with eastern European states but that it is looking for sources to cover its gas demand as European suppliers are set to drastically lower their output.
