Berlin has approved the resumption of work on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

Berlin has approved the resumption of work on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

On Friday, German authorities gave immediate permission to resume work on the submarine gas pipeline bringing natural gas from Russia. The decision of the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency can be appealed, which means that it could lead to a further halt in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 project, which is criticized by the US, some other European countries and environmental groups. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is to transport Russian natural gas across the Baltic Sea to Germany and Western Europe outside the traditional transit routes passing through Ukrainian and Polish territories.

The US is against it

The US is an outspoken opponent of this pipeline. Together with Eastern European countries, which are also rejecting the project, the US government claims that it will increase Europe's dependence on Russian energy. The Kremlin, on the other hand, accuses Washington of trying to stop the project in order to force European customers to buy more expensive American liquefied natural gas. Work on the project was suspended the year before December, after incumbent US President Donald Trump signed legislation to sanction companies associated with the Nord Stream 2 project. President Barack Obama's administration has previously opposed the pipeline project, and German officials do not expect far-reaching changes in the US position even after the inauguration of newly elected President Joe Biden.