"Explained by disappointment": how the US urged to immediately oppose Nord Stream 2

The United States called for the immediate use of tools to hinder the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project.

This was the point made by Daniel Cochis, Senior Political Analyst for European Affairs at the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom under the Heritage Foundation, in his report.

“The United States has tools to prevent the full commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which it should use without delay,” the document says.

Kochis calls the construction of the gas pipeline a "dangerous project" that allegedly "will give Russia even more power" and will threaten transatlantic security.

“However, the actual completion of the construction of the gas pipeline does not yet guarantee full commissioning.

The pipeline must pass technical and regulatory certification, obtain insurance, and overcome a number of further legal hurdles.

Russia seeks to take advantage of high energy prices and historically low gas reserves in Europe to insist on early certification (Nord Stream 2

), "the American analyst said in a report.

Kochis also considers the decision of the Biden administration to allow the completion of the construction of Nord Stream 2 to be a "historical mistake".

“As a result, the significant diplomatic and political capital spent on preventing the damage to transatlantic security associated with the commissioning of this gas pipeline was nullified,” the document says.

The American analyst also writes that there is allegedly no "economic necessity, nor geopolitical expediency in the construction of Nord Stream 2."

“If commissioned, it will increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas, thereby expanding its (Russia. -

) opportunities to use its energy dominance in Europe as a political trump card.

In addition, it will exacerbate energy disagreements in Europe that have arisen since the beginning of its construction, and undermine the position of US allies in Eastern and Central Europe, ”Kochis said.

• Capitol

• Reuters

• © Elizabeth Frantz

At the same time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also raised the issue of Nord Stream 2 on the sidelines of the UN climate conference in Glasgow.

According to her, the country's government opposes Nord Stream 2, despite the situation on the energy markets.

She added that the Danish side's issuance of permission to build the gas pipeline was a "technical issue" and the government's position "was always obvious."

Meanwhile, a few days earlier, the head of the Christian Social Union (CSU) of the Federal Republic of Germany, Markus Söder, in an interview with the Bild newspaper, spoke in favor of the earliest possible commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

“We need a price brake for the winter and a gas strategy that will secure supplies to Germany.

This also includes the commissioning of Nord Stream 2, he noted.

Certification against the backdrop of the energy crisis

As a reminder, the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was fully completed on September 10.

In mid-October, the first line of the pipeline was filled with technical gas, its volume amounted to about 177 million cubic meters.

m. According to the head of the Austrian company-investor OMV Alfred Stern, the second line of the pipeline will be filled with blue fuel by the end of this year.

According to Viktor Zubkov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom, the company will be able to supply 55 billion cubic meters to Europe through Nord Stream 2.

meters of gas per year.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the project is currently being certified, however, as the ministry said, it is difficult to predict which "legal squiggles" can be used by opponents of Nord Stream 2.

As the German Ambassador to Russia Geza Andreas von Geir emphasized, the certification of the gas pipeline must pass "legitimately and cleanly" for its commissioning.

It is worth noting that the certification procedure for Nord Stream 2 fell on the period of the gas crisis in Europe, of which the Western countries had repeatedly accused Moscow of provoking.

However, the Russian side categorically rejects such attacks against it.

On October 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with members of the government, said that the Russian Federation is not interested in "an endless rise in prices for energy resources, including gas."

“Nevertheless, what is happening is happening against our will.

These are all largely hand-made things that have been made by our colleagues, including in Europe, ”he said.

Later, the Russian leader said that Gazprom is fully complying with long-term agreements with European countries, while the United States has “removed” a significant amount of LNG from the energy market in Europe, reducing its supplies.

• Gas pipes in Germany

• Reuters

• © Hannibal Hanschke

Putin also recalled that the prices of spot, short-term European contracts remain high, and the level of gas reserves in underground storage facilities in Europe is "significantly lower than the average for the last five years."

As the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said on October 29 in her Telegram channel, the EU “knows very well” that Russia uses gas “not for blackmail, but for mutually beneficial cooperation.”

"Guided by Emotions"

According to experts, against the backdrop of the gas crisis in Europe, the theses of the American analyst, in particular that there is no "economic necessity, nor geopolitical expediency" in the construction of Nord Stream 2, look simply ridiculous and ridiculous.

“Kochis is guided by emotions, not common sense.

It is easy for him to give recommendations to Europeans from a warm American apartment, but the situation changes when you sit in a poorly heated room in Europe, this contributes to sobering up thoughts, "Nikolai Mezhevich, chief researcher at the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with RT.

According to him, Kochis's call to use tools to prevent the full commissioning of Nord Stream 2 is "due to some disappointment" in American political circles and US think tanks that the democrat who came to power did not manage to stop the implementation. project.

“The position of the United States on the gas pipeline has not fundamentally changed since Biden came to power, just now the Americans do not have enough strength and motivation to make decisions in the tough form that Kochis and other representatives of the US think tanks would like.

Hence the call of the analyst to take active action against Nord Stream 2, - the expert explained.

However, according to American political scientist Malek Dudakov, the United States has almost no tools left to put pressure on Nord Stream 2, which Kochis speaks of.

“Washington's sanctions policy has already proved its ineffectiveness, political oppression on the countries of its European partners also did not lead to the expected result.

Theoretically, the White House, of course, can resume its activity in these two areas, but in reality I doubt that Washington is really interested in this, "the expert said in a conversation with RT.

Dudakov also added that even if the American authorities decide to introduce new sanctions against Nord Stream 2, "their effectiveness will be zero."

“In theory, these could be restrictions that, for example, prohibit the work of Gazprom's counterparties, which, among other things, are engaged in software support, the provision of other services, and the provision of materials.

However, such restrictions still cannot stop the implementation of the project, ”the expert emphasized.

Mezhevich, for his part, added that the calls in the report of the American analyst to impede the implementation of the project will not be accepted by the White House.

“And even more so no one in Washington plans to follow them,” the analyst said.

Dudakov also believes that Kochis's theses "will remain at the level of rhetoric."

“The White House does not follow all the appeals that come from various think tanks, let alone those that criticize its actions.

This does not fit into the policy of Biden, who wants to consolidate the West and get closer to Europe, ”the expert noted.

Commenting on the statement of the Danish prime minister, Mezhevich drew attention to the fact that it was made to gain political points within the country.

“Mette Frederiksen uses the theme of Nord Stream 2, because anti-Russian propaganda looks extremely attractive for the Danish population, where energy issues are discussed very vigorously,” he explained.

Dudakov, on the other hand, believes that the words of Mette Frederiksen are clear evidence of the "gap between rhetoric and practice" of the Danish leadership.

“Denmark did not prevent the construction of the pipeline, but in words it is necessary to somehow support the position of the United States.

But, of course, there will not be any concrete actions on the part of the Danish government.

Europe is in dire need of additional energy resources, ”the analyst said.

• Construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

• Reuters

• © Maxim Shemetov

As for the speech of the head of the German party CSU, it correlates with the position of official Berlin on Nord Stream 2, Dudakov said.

“In general, in Germany there are very different opinions on this matter.

Understandably, within the ruling coalition, which is likely to include the Greens, there is little enthusiasm for the pipeline.

However, those who are closer to reality understand that this is the only way to solve the energy crisis in Europe, and therefore they will contribute to the certification of the project, ”the expert said.

As Dudakov summed up, the launch of Nord Stream 2 will not only help European countries cope with energy difficulties, but will also be extremely beneficial for Europe as a whole.

“The commissioning of the new gas pipeline will make it possible to avoid a shortage of gas and reduce its price, taking into account the fact that a very cold winter is predicted.

This would be a significant relief for the European economy.

It is another matter - it is not yet clear whether Europe will have time to certify Nord Stream 2 before the onset of cold weather, ”the expert concluded.