Dispute Over German-Russian Pipeline Splits Europe - German Newspaper

Southeuropean countries are dissatisfied with the fact that the EU suspended the South Stream pipeline project due to anti-Russian sanctions, but is supporting the Nord Stream 2 project. Merkel is increasingly facing heavy pressure from her European colleagues who argue that the new project would not reduce the EU's dependence on Russia.

The dispute over the Nord Stream 2 project shows that Europe is deeply divided, DWN wrote.

EU member states are unable to reach an agreement on the new energy project, demonstrating another serious split in their ranks.

Germany supports the construction of the pipeline and increasingly comes under pressure from other European countries.

For instance, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi criticized Angela Merkel for her policy of double standards. He stressed that the negotiations on the South Stream pipeline were suspended last year due to anti-Russian sanctions imposed by the EU. Meanwhile, Germany now supports the construction of Nord Stream at a time when the EU is about to approve the extension of its anti-Russian sanctions.

At the same time, President of the European Council Donald Tusk pointed out that Europe would not reduce its dependence on Russia as was planned before, because Russia's Gazprom would receive a dominant position in the German market if the Nord Stream 2 project is implemented.

Critical voices against the pipeline are also coming from the German Bundestag. According to Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, Norbert Röttgen (CDU), the new energy project would contradict the objectives of the agreed European energy policy.

"We want to reduce the dependence on Russia in the energy sector. Nord Stream 2 contradicts this goal," the politician said in an interview with FAZ.

Thus, according to DWN, the division of Europe is evident. The energy issue just became another factor triggering greater divergence among European states.