Berlin rules out relaunching Nord Stream 2

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recently ruled out, in Kiev, where she paid a visit at the end of her term, any relaunch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project to supply Europe with Russian gas, a possibility recently raised by Moscow, according to AFP, notes Agerpres.

"The bad decision regarding Nord Stream 2 has cost us dearly as German society," Baerbock said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, noting: "We paid billions of euros for this and, therefore, it is very clear that this pipeline cannot be reactivated. It is a decision that is in Germany's hands, a decision that was made by the previous federal government of Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in full agreement with the conservative party that won the parliamentary elections at the end of February."

The main transit route for Russian gas to Europe, the two pipelines, each 1,200 km long, connecting Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, have been abandoned since explosions in September 2022 made them inoperable.

An article in the Financial Times from early March mentioned the previously unthinkable hypothesis of one of the Russian pipelines restarting amid the rapprochement between the Kremlin and US President Donald Trump. Although both branches of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline were damaged, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline remained intact and could be reused.

• Sergey Lavrov: "The Nord Stream pipelines are the subject of ongoing discussions"

In an interview on March 26, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that talks are underway between Moscow and Washington on this issue.

"Obviously, there are differences. But is it only in the interests of Russia and the United States to restore normal energy supplies to Europe? The Nord Stream gas pipelines are the subject of ongoing discussions," Lavrov told the public television channel Pervîi Kanal, adding: "It would be interesting if the Americans used their influence on Europe and forced it not to reject Russian gas. It would seem surreal."

And in Germany, where the economy remains weak after two consecutive years of recession, there are voices that believe the project should be reconsidered.

"We hear that some are speculating on this issue, but these are not top German politicians, they are not the ones who make the central economic and geostrategic decisions," Baerbock noted, emphasizing: "The security of Europe and economic security are closely linked."

Annalena Baerbock was on her ninth visit to Ukraine since the start of the Russian offensive on February 24, 2022.