The gas pipeline still does not have an operating license -and Germany has just suspended its granting.
The measure was taken after Russia formally recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and send troops to the site.
“In view of the latest developments, we must reassess the situation in particular regarding Nord Stream 2″, declared Foreign Minister Olaf Scholz.
In early February, US President Joe Biden pledged to shut down Nord Stream 2 if Moscow invaded Ukraine, declaring, “I promise you we are capable of doing it”.
This is not without creating a problem for Germany, as it is the largest customer of Russian gas in Europe and has been eagerly awaiting the new supply.
Putin orders troops to Donetsk and Luhansk after recognizing the independence of the rebel regions
Who opposes Nord Stream 2?
The United States and the United Kingdom, together with Russia’s neighbors Poland and Ukraine, strongly oppose Nord Stream 2.
They fear that once start operating, Russia would have even more dominant control over gas supplies to Europe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has labeled Nord Stream 2 as “a dangerous political weapon“ .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Europe needs to “cut off the Nord Stream dripping into our bloodstream”.
In 2006, Russia cut off gas supplies passing through Ukraine due to a financial dispute between the two countries. The measure caused an acute power shortage during the winter in central and eastern Europe.
It is feared that Russia could cut off gas supplies in the future for political reasons.
The United States has tried to block Nord Stream 2 in the past, imposing sanctions on the companies involved in the project. However, he only focused on Russian firms and not German ones for fear of damaging diplomatic relations with Berlin.
Nord Stream 2 would guarantee Germany an additional supply of gas pumped directly into the country.
Who needs the Nord Stream 2?
Russia is very interested in increasing the supply of gas to Europe from its vast fields in the west of the country.
Prefers an underwater pipeline to Europe rather than relying on its onshore pipelines through Poland and Ukraine. Those pipeline networks are aging and inefficient. In addition, Poland and Ukraine charge high fees for its transit.
Before the crisis, Scholz’s predecessor, former Chancellor Angela Merkel, strongly advocated for the approval of Nord Stream 2.
Germany already imports 11% of the gas it needs from Russia and Merkel estimated that Nord Stream 2 could be the way to achieve much more Russian gas supply direct to Germany.
Furthermore, another former Chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schröder, joined Nord Stream 2 in 2011 as a member of the board of directors, after supporting the program during his time in power.
Several countries fear that Russia could interrupt the supply of gas to Europe for political reasons.When would Nord Stream 2 start operating?
Even before the action taken by Germany, the project was already facing a major legal obstacle and it was unlikely that it would be pumping gas before the summer of 2022.
The German regulatory body refused to grant an operating license because the Russian firm Gazprom owns the 27% of the shares of the Nord Stream 2 and all the gas that would pump.
Germany argues that this gives Russia too much control over supplies and wants ownership to go to another company.
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