Russia believes that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will be completed, and its fate, despite the difficult situation surrounding the project, does not cause concern, said Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the EU Vladimir Chizhov on Tuesday in an online briefing, TASS reported.
He indicated that the gas pipeline was almost completed.
“As a result of the American restrictions, the Swiss company Allseas, which was engaged in pipe-laying in the last section, interrupted its activities on this project. There are only a few percents left to complete the pipeline, which could well be done by Gazprom and the Russian Federation. So fate The Nord Stream 2 project itself, I think, should not particularly worry us,” said Chizhov.
Chizhov recalled that a lawsuit is currently underway to partially repeal amendments to the EU Gas Directive, because of which Gazprom will be able to use only half of the capacity of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
“It’s quite clear that the situation is not simple, it is indeed considered in court. There is a rather unambiguously formulated position of the German government – the country where this gas pipeline will come to. So in this case, of course, we don’t interfere in the judicial practice of German courts, but we proceed from the fact that this project will be implemented one way or another,” said Chizhov.
The Nord Stream 2 project involves the construction of two lines with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters of gas per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. Gazprom’s European partners in the project are German Uniper and Wintershall, Austrian OMV, French Engie, and Anglo-Dutch Shell.
The pipeline bypasses transit states – Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, and other East European and Baltic countries – through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany.
Gazprom expects the pipeline to be launched at the end of 2020.
