Germany opposes the practice of applying extraterritorial sanctions by the US authorities, including against the Nord Stream 2 project, and intends to “resolutely” raise this issue in the negotiations. Such a statement during a speech in the Bundestag was made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“We are against extraterritorial sanctions, and this is not since the decision yesterday, but with Iran we have the same problem. I do not see any other option but to negotiate, but to negotiate strongly that we do not accept this practice, that these extraterritorial sanctions have an impact, we will see how things will develop around Nord Stream 2, RIA quotes Merkel News.
The Federal Chancellor also expressed the view that restrictions on participants in the construction of the main gas pipeline, the introduction of which implies the US defense budget for 2020 approved by the Senate on the eve of the Senate, could adversely affect gas negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
“I pointed out, and it is very important for me, that negotiations are underway with Ukraine on a gas agreement after December 31, 2019 ... that these negotiations are rather encouraging, and in this regard it would be unfavorable, if Ukraine didn’t receive transit fees because negotiations would be complicated because we, on the other hand, have this position on Nord Stream-2, ”Merkel noted.
Also on Wednesday, December 18, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, answering a question about whether American sanctions could interfere with the construction of the gas pipeline, expressed confidence that the project would be completed despite restrictions imposed against him, and criticized the policy that held by the Washington administration.
“Neither Moscow nor the European capitals like such actions; they do not like Berlin and Paris. Such actions are, in fact, a direct violation of international law, are an ideal example of unfair competition and the spread of their artificial dominance in European markets, ”said Peskov.
He explained that we are actually talking about imposing more expensive, and therefore uncompetitive, products on European consumers. “This refers to more expensive natural gas,” the spokeswoman said.
According to Dmitry Novikov, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, the FRG authorities are now in a difficult situation, because, on the one hand, they must defend the energy security interests of the country and large business, and on the other, they must comply with their obligations within the Western world.
“There is a certain dependence on trade and economic ties with the United States, there is Euro-Atlantic solidarity, and there is a NATO bloc that unites these two states and obliges them to pursue a coordinated policy,” the source said.
Earlier, a member of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, Oleg Morozov, commenting on the adoption of the defense budget in the US Senate, noted that US sanctions could create some problems, but not interfere with the project.
Morozov added that Washington’s sanctions were directed not so much against Russia as against Germany and other European countries. “And the Germans will not allow the Americans to deprive them of their sovereign right to trade with Russia. Therefore, our answer is one: to give gas to Europe in the near future through the pipes of the Nord Stream-2, he said.
- Pipeline laying in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Germany)
- globallookpress.com
- © Stefan Sauer / dpa
Reaction of Europe
Interestingly, in Washington, it seems, they also do not believe that the new sanctions can somehow hinder the completion of Nord Stream 2. According to Bloomberg, citing sources in the US presidential administration, the White House has virtually no leverage on Russia in this matter. But despite this, according to one official, the United States intends to continue to create obstacles to the implementation of Russian energy projects.
Director of the Energy Development Fund Sergei Pikin, in a conversation with RT, expressed the view that Washington is aware of its helplessness in this matter, but continues to persist in order to justify its position.
“The main reason is to show our political position to the whole world that the USA is always right, although they admitted that they were late with direct action sanctions. I think that this is done solely for political reasons, ”Pikin explained.
In this situation, the reaction of European countries will be important, the expert said. According to him, Brussels “it would be nice to save face and somehow react to this, and not just keep silent again.”
The German edition of Bild notes that in Germany there is no unity on the new US sanctions, which may be subject to the company - the operator of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 AG gas pipeline. Thus, the Ministry of Economics believes that the penalties are not directed directly against Germany, but the German Foreign Ministry considers the actions of the United States to be interference in Europe’s energy policy and condemn them.
“The clear position of Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas on US sanctions against Germany:“ European energy policy is being decided in Europe, not in the USA. We categorically reject attacks from outside and extraterritorial sanctions, ”German Foreign Minister Nils Annen wrote on Twitter.
Earlier it was reported that Berlin was preparing for possible US sanctions: after the introduction of restrictions, the FRG government intends to "carefully examine the specific consequences", after which a decision will be made on "specific measures" as an answer.
In addition to Germany, the Nord Stream 2 project is also supported by France and Austria, said Sergei Pikin. According to him, only those countries that were initially negatively opposed to Russia, such as Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic states, are opposed.
Sanction Trend
The introduction of new sanctions by the United States in conditions where even the White House understands their futility can also be explained by the fact that the American leadership simply cannot do otherwise, said Alexander Pasechnik, head of the analytical department of the National Energy Security Fund.
“Sanctions on Nord Stream 2 are already trending. Americans are already imprisoned for this kind of trend, propaganda. It’s not even the effectiveness of the sanctions that matters, but their very existence. This trend is unshakable, indicativeness is important, ”the source said.
He also noted that the ineffectiveness of American restrictive measures in relation to the pipeline under construction is also due to the fact that there is no unity in Washington.
“At Trump himself, the views on Nord Stream 2 are not quite the same as, say, congressmen. If he wanted, he would have imposed sanctions long ago, he always had this option. He would impose sanctions and create problems in the initial stages of the implementation of Nord Stream 2. Now that this construction is completed, these sanctions are already ineffective, to say the least, ”concluded Pasechnik.