German Vice Chancellor Not Ruling Out Abandonment of Nord Stream 2 as Option for Sanctions

BERLIN (Sputnik) - German Vice Chancellor, Minister of Economy and Climate Affairs Robert Habeck, answering whether Berlin would abandon Nord Stream 2 during the escalation in Ukraine, said that "all options for sanctions are being considered."

"The French President and the Federal Chancellor are trying primarily to make diplomatic efforts, but it is also clear, and it has been said many times, that in the event of military aggression, all options for sanctions are considered. And 'all' means everything. I don’t want to go into speculation, but the word 'all' covers everything," Habeck said at a briefing in Paris, answering the relevant question.

Earlier, the German ambassador to Poland, Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven said that Germany will refuse to put into operation the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the event of escalation around Ukraine. He, however, argued that European leaders should not clearly state measures they are willing to take in response to a potential breakout of hostilities so as to "let the Kremlin remain in uncertainty."

Nord Stream 2, designed to carry natural gas from Russia to Europe beneath the Baltic Sea, is currently having trouble getting certified in Germany. On September 10, Russia's Gazprom announced that the construction of the pipeline had been completed.

Meanwhile, the European Union is working on a new extensive package of economic and financial sanctions against Russia in case the situation around Ukraine escalates.

In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of amassing troops near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for invasion. Russia said that it has no intention of invading Ukraine while stressing that it has the right to move forces within its own territory.

Russia has also expressed concern over NATO's military activity near its borders and the ongoing military support for Ukraine, including an increase in the number of Western instructors in Donbas.

In December, the Russian government proposed a set of mutual security guarantees in Europe to NATO and the United States, with their response still pending.