German Chancellor describes Russia sanctions as a “necessary measure”; Understanding Nord Stream 2’s Commentary

german chancellor, Olaf Schulzeannounced that it will cut off permission to start operation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which will transport gas from Russia to me Germany. The declaration, made this Tuesday, 22, is one of the measures adopted against the recognition of the independence of the separatist regions of Ukraine And sending troops to Donetsk and Lugansk. This was the harshest punishment adopted by Western countries so far. Schulz said the situation has changed and that this is a necessary administrative measure so that there is no certification for the pipeline, because without it Nord Stream cannot start up.

The pipeline was completed in September 2021, and has been up and running since December last year, it said Russian President Vladimir Putin. But given the current scenario, the German government decided to re-evaluate the situation, which led to Scholz ordering the Ministry of Economy and Technology to take administrative measures not to certify the pipeline for the time being. This punishment is a way to avenge the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk. “We cannot accept the recognition and that is why it is so important to respond now and quickly,” the chancellor said.

From the start, the operation of Nord Stream 2 has been subject to economic and geopolitical uncertainties. The United States and European countries, especially those in the East, argued that this action would increase Europe’s dependence on Russian gas supplies. At that time, the Americans suggested selling their liquefied gas to Europeans. This interruption is just one of the sanctions that can arise in connection with the independence of the separatist regions, and Olaf Scholz warned against taking further measures if the situation worsens and spoke of severe sanctions against Russia by the European Union. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the comment, saying it was politically and morally justified.

What is Nord Stream 2?

Nord Stream 2 is an operation aimed at increasing the supply of Russian gas to Europe, bypassing the Ukrainian territory. This certification was a method found by countries to obtain the product at a time when their production was declining. Before the epidemic, reserves natural gas Give Europe 90%, but according to official data released in October 2021, the capacity has been reduced to 75%. Nord Stream 2 extends 1,230 km under the Baltic Sea and has a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. It follows the same path as Nord Stream 1, which has been in operation since 2012. The operation, which was promoted by Russia’s Gazprom and co-financed by five other European groups: OMV, ENGIE, Wintershall D, Uniper and Shell, is budgeted for. More than 10 billion euros. Germany, the main promoter of the gas pipeline within the European Union, argues that it will help it achieve the energy transition it has embarked on. At the same time, it will make its territory a gas center in Europe.