Sweden Can Be Put Under US Pressure Over Russia's Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline

Sweden's Prime Minister Stephen Lovfen can be put under pressure over the issue of Russia's projected Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline during the meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden, scheduled for Thursday, local Svenska Dagbladed newspaper reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, Biden arrived in Stockholm with a one-day visit. According to the Svenska Dagbladed newspaper, the energy security is expected to become part of the talks agenda among other issues.

Sweden can be forced to act against the construction of the pipeline over the US and some EU states' concern that it will increase Europe's dependence on gas supplies from Russia, the publication reads. Though, there is no indication that Stockholm will proactively act to obstruct implementation of the project, according to the media outlet.

The Nord Stream 2 project aims to deliver 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas a year to the European Union across the Baltic Sea to Germany, bypassing Ukraine, the Baltic nations and Poland. The gas pipeline project plans to use the original Nord Stream pipeline for 86-percent of the route before branching off. Denmark is expected to join the project in 2017.

Russian energy giant Gazprom and its partner companies signed a shareholders agreement on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in September 2015. The prospective shareholders are Gazprom itself, with 50 percent of shares, Germany's Uniper SE and BASF/Wintershall (10 percent each), Anglo-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell (10 percent), Austria's OMV AG (10 percent) and France's Engie (10 percent).

The pipeline project is opposed by Brussels and Washington amid fears of increased reliance on Russian gas supplies, which could threaten Europe’s energy security.