France called the launch of Nord Stream 2 one of the ways to resolve the crisis with Russia

“The opening of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is ... one of the key ways out of the crisis with Russia,” Le Maire said.

Earlier, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the sanctions against Russia prepared by Europe imply blocking Nord Stream 2.

Prior to this, Igor Ananskikh, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy, expressed the opinion in an interview with RT that possible sanctions against Nord Stream 2 would hit the European economy first of all.