Nord Stream 2 AG reported that on September 6, specialists from the Fortuna pipe-laying barge welded the last pipe of the second string of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

After that, the pipe will be submerged to the bottom of the Baltic Sea in German waters. 

“The next step will be the implementation of the docking of the section of the gas pipeline running from the coast of Germany, with the section stretching from the waters of Denmark, using the over-water method.

Then, commissioning works on the second line will be carried out in order to put the gas pipeline into operation before the end of this year, ”the company said.

They stressed that Nord Stream 2 will help meet the long-term needs of the EU energy market for natural gas imports, "ensuring reliable and safe supplies on reasonable economic terms."

At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Nord Stream 2 would be completed in a few days.

“You mentioned sports, but sports are far from the only sphere of human activity where they are trying to restrict us with unscrupulous methods.

Take economics, economic sanctions.

Now there is simply a frontal attack, in spite of everything, on Nord Stream 2, although everyone understands, the Americans have already realized that it will be completed in a few days, it will start working, "Lavrov said.

The minister drew attention to the fact that Europe, represented by Germany and other countries, is participating in this construction project and "says that we need it."

At the same time, the United States, which are located overseas, are trying to explain to Europe "what the energy security of your continent should be," Lavrov said.

"The United States wants to push through its liquefied natural gas, although it is obtained mainly by cracking - this is bad for the environment, and it is much more expensive," the Foreign Minister added.

State Duma deputy Ruslan Balbek, in an interview with RT, expressed the opinion that the completion of the construction of the gas pipeline can be called a "good lesson" to Ukrainian leaders and their allies.

“Despite the various tricks of the spiteful critics who tried to prevent the Russian gas pipeline from supplying gas to Europe, Nord Stream 2 succeeded.

And the words of our Minister of Foreign Affairs are a message to the entire Western world that one can negotiate with Russia, but “fighting” with it, including the delivery of energy resources, is useless and counterproductive, ”the deputy said.

In turn, the first deputy head of the international committee of the Federation Council, Vladimir Dzhabarov, said that the gas pipeline would improve economic relations with Germany thanks to uninterrupted gas supplies.

“I think this suggests that we need to cooperate with Russia, and no country in the world will get anything but benefit from this cooperation,” he said.

Let us remind you that the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 runs from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea and the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of Germany, Denmark, Russia, Finland and Sweden.

Several European states, including Ukraine, as well as the United States, which are promoting their liquefied natural gas in the EU, and claiming that the project allegedly threatens Europe's energy security, are opposed to its construction.

In particular, Washington has several times imposed sanctions on the ships and companies involved in the construction. 

  • © Nord Stream 2 / Axel Schmidt

For example, on August 20, US President Joe Biden signed a decree allowing additional measures to be taken against Russian pipelines destined for energy exports.

In addition, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that Washington will impose sanctions against two individuals and two ships from Russia in connection with the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

Russia has repeatedly stated that Nord Stream 2 is an exclusively commercial and not a political project.

In addition, the Russian side emphasized that the project would be completed despite American restrictions.

At the end of August, during a press conference after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the gas pipeline route is 2,000 km shorter than the alternative route through Ukraine, and the cost of transporting fuel through it is much lower than through the Ukrainian one. territory.

On August 27, Gazprom announced that the gas pipeline is at the final stage of implementation.