Ukraine crisis: Germany halts approval of controversial Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline project
Despite controversies weighing on German-Russian ties, such as the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, several spying scandals, and a series of cyberattacks, the German government pressed ahead with the project, which was finally completed last year and was awaiting regulatory approval.
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FollowGermany halted the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline on Tuesday in response to Moscow's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, effectively putting an end to the 10-billion-euro project that has long irritated allies. Berlin had steadfastly pursued the pipeline, which was set to double Russia's natural gas import capacity, despite opposition from the US and Eastern Europe, which feared it would make the continent overly reliant on Russian energy.
Despite controversies weighing on German-Russian ties, such as the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, several spying scandals, and a series of cyberattacks, the German government pressed ahead with the project, which was finally completed last year and was awaiting regulatory approval.
However, only hours after Putin's decision to recognise rebels in eastern Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated on Tuesday that he had requested that the licencing process be paused, despite Europe's grave energy crisis, which has pushed gas prices skyrocketing.
"That may seem technical, but it is an essential administrative procedure without which there can be no pipeline certification, and without this certification, Nord Stream 2 cannot begin operations," he explained.
The White House quickly applauded the move, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba termed it "a morally, politically, and practically correct measure in the current circumstances."
Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, vice president of Russia's security council, stated that Germany was simply shooting itself in the foot.
"German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has sought to stop Nord Stream 2 certification... well, welcome to the new world where Europeans will soon pay 2,000 euros for 1,000 cm3 of gas," he tweeted. Germany's ambiguous position on Nord Stream 2 has long been a source of contention among allies.
The pipeline bypasses Ukraine's own infrastructure, costing the country around a billion euros in gas transit fees each year and, according to Kyiv, removing a key check on potential Russian aggression. President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated unequivocally that Nord Stream 2 poses a serious threat to global security.
The 1,200-kilometre (745-mile) underwater Nord Stream 2 runs from Russia's Baltic coast to northeastern Germany, following the same route as Nord Stream 1, which was completed more than a decade ago. Nord Stream 2 would, like its predecessor, be capable of transporting 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year from Russia to Europe, increasing the continent's access to relatively cheap natural gas when domestic production is declining.
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