Washington and Warsaw intend to hinder further implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project. This was announced after a meeting of the presidents of the United States and Poland, Donald Trump and Andrzej Duda.
According to the White House statement, the heads of state exchanged views on the best options for enhancing cooperation in the "field of defense, security and energy." In particular, they touched on the topic of the main gas pipeline.
“Both presidents recognized that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a threat to Europe’s energy security and discussed how to best stop the project,” the White House explained.
Recall that in early September, the Polish state-owned oil and gas company PGNiG once again announced that it was not going to extend the contract for the supply of blue fuel with Gazprom after 2022. According to its head, Peter Wozniak, the price of Russian gas is supposedly overpriced. According to an existing agreement with Gazprom, Warsaw may annually acquire 10.2 billion cubic meters of gas. At the same time, deliveries are made through the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, which passes through the territory of Belarus.
We add that the Polish side has already concluded a number of contracts with American companies that are designed to replace Russian raw materials. Warsaw expects to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) from overseas. As the US ambassador to Warsaw, Georgette Mosbacher, noted, this should make Poland the future center for the re-export of American LNG in the region.
Meanwhile, the constant thoughts of the opponents of the main pipeline from Russia to Germany do not affect the pace of construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
On Tuesday, September 17, Gazprom announced that the project was already implemented at 81%, since 1989 km of the gas pipeline had already been laid along the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
Recall that the Nord Stream 2 project represents two strands of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters. m of gas per year, which are laid through exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany, bypassing transit states. The highway with a total length of both lines of about 2,400 km is planned to be commissioned before the end of 2019. The project costs about € 9.5 billion. In addition to Gazprom, five West European energy companies — Engie, Shell, OMV, Uniper and Wintershall — participate in its implementation. The share of financing of each of them is 10%.
In August, the head of the Austrian company OMV, Rainer Seele, stressed that the first gas supply through the pipeline should occur by midnight on December 31, 2019. This should not be prevented even by a delay on the part of Denmark, which so far has not given permission to build in its territorial waters.
“We expect a positive decision, because there is no reason for the refusal to be received. There’s just a time delay, ”said Alexander Novak, head of the Russian Ministry of Energy, after completing trilateral gas consultations in Brussels on September 19.
According to a representative of Gazprom’s board of directors, Viktor Zubkov, the Russian side expects Copenhagen to agree to the construction of Nord Stream 2 in October. At the same time, Gazprom Chairman Alexei Miller noted that the actual term for pipe laying in the Danish section would be a maximum of five weeks.
- Construction of Nord Stream 2
- © Nord Stream 2 / Paul Langrock
“Bringing the world closer to confrontation”
Andrzej Duda also said that the United States can cancel visas for Poles before Christmas. Donald Trump confirmed the words of the Polish president, noting that Washington is "working on the structure" of this regime.
In addition, Duda spoke out in support of the presence of American troops in Poland. In his opinion, this is "the best way to prevent new military conflicts."
“We need peace most of all, and we all believe that there will be no aggression, because these troops are present here. I deeply believe that this is the best way to prevent new military conflicts. Trump understands and looks carefully at security in our part of the world. An adequate reaction from our point of view is the presence of allied forces, ”said Duda.
He also called for continued investment in military infrastructure for the US Army. Recall, according to a previously signed declaration, the number of American troops in Poland will be increased by 1 thousand people.
Such an increase in the number of US troops worsens the atmosphere of peace and tranquility, said Sergei Tsekov, member of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs. In a conversation with RT, he stressed that Washington seeks to bring its forces closer to Russia, and therefore develops relations with Warsaw.
“The United States is not guided by the desire to maintain peace and tranquility. They want to come close to Russia, and in this matter Poland is the most coveted ally for them. If the Polish leader really assessed the situation, he would have refused this cooperation, the senator emphasized. - US actions bring the world closer to confrontation. And Poland became their vassal. But the future generation of this country will not positively assess this position. ”
- US troops in Poland
- Reuters
- © Cezary Aszkielowicz / Agencja Gazeta
"Poland has become an American puppet"
According to Vladimir Dzhabarov, First Deputy Head of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, the United States and Poland do not have the opportunities to impede the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project. In addition, the pipeline is necessary to meet the energy needs of Europe.
“They will not be able to hinder the project, but they will try to slow down the construction. But I think that Western Europe will not accept this. Especially Germany, which is interested in Russian gas. Poland has become an American puppet and does not have its own policy, fully repeating the words of his older brother, ”said Jabarov RT.
In turn, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Research, Vladimir Bruter, also indicated that Poland has become a country that plays along with Washington, which is interested in dividing Europe.
“Poland will now support the States in everything, and the USA will support Poland in everything, the difficult moments of history will become silent. All these are elements of the American strategy, where Poland stands out as the main "deterrent". It should become a barrier to Russia and a provocateur to Germany. If Berlin does not defend its own interests, it will fall into American foreign policy traps, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.