Third States Shouldn't Threaten Nord Stream 2 With Sanctions - German Politician

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Berlin considers the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to be an important economic project, which should not be threatened with sanctions of the third countries, Vice President of the Bundestag Thomas Oppermann said on Friday.

"Nord Stream 2 is an important economic project, which we support and it should not be threatened by sanctions from the third countries," Oppermann said at a meeting with Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament.

The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction of two gas pipelines that will run from the Russian coast, through the Baltic Sea and to a hub in Germany, bypassing Ukraine entirely. It is a joint venture of the Russian Gazprom energy giant with French Engie, Austrian OMV AG, UK-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, and German Uniper and Wintershall.

READ MORE: Danish Defense Minister Dispels "Russian Espionage" Fears About Nord Stream 2

According to The Wall Street Journal, US President Donald Trump in May asked German Chancellor Angela Merkel to withhold Germany’s support for the construction of Nord Stream 2 in exchange for negotiating a new US-EU trade deal. Commenting on this issue, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the US leader wanted to protect the interests of US businesses in the sphere of the liquefied natural gas deliveries to Europe.

READ MORE: Attempt to Hinder Russia-EU Gas Trade 'Part of Broader US Strategy' — Analyst

The Nord Stream 2 project has been welcomed by some countries in Europe, such as Germany and Austria, and opposed by others, including Eastern European states, such as Ukraine, which currently transfers Russian gas to Europe and may suffer transit revenue drops if Nord Stream 2 becomes operational.