“Russians have been fulfilling their obligations every second and every hour since the dissolution of the Soviet Union … [Russia] has been our reliable partner for 50 years,” Altmeier said at an energy conference organized by the German Handelsblatt newspaper.
Commenting on US Ambassador Richard Grenell's recent threats to German companies participating in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, Altmeier pointed out that it would not be easy to intimidate Germany.
“It is not so easy to make an impression on us and intimidate us,” the minister said.
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On the same day, Peter Altmaier announced that he had invited US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters to an investment conference in Germany in February to discuss conditions for potential supplies of US gas to the country.
Altmaier noted that the German government was now mulling over the creation of special terminals in the country, which would allow Germany, if necessary, to store the US liquefied gas.
"We are engaged in dialogue with [the German cities of] Brunsbuettel, Wilhelmshaven and Stade [regarding the construction of the terminals]. I invited [the cities' representatives] — an this is an exclusive — to an investment conference with the participation of US LNG exporters in February to discuss our expectations, prices that they can offer, how we can expand such infrastructure [for LNG storage]," Altmaier said at an energy conference organized by the German Handelsblatt newspaper.
The announcement comes after on January 13, media reports emerged that Grenell had sent out letters to a number of German companies, hinting that Washington could introduce sanctions on parties that support the Nord Stream 2 project.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced the belief that his US counterpart, Donald Trump, was seeking to force Russia out of the European energy market so that the United States could sell more liquefied natural gas to Europe.