German Chancellor Merz: We will do everything to prevent Nord Stream 2 from starting up
28 May 2025 19:45
German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised that his government will take all possible measures to prevent the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and weaken the Russian military machine.
He made the statement during a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy , "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“We are acting not only to support Ukraine, but also to open the way for peace talks. On behalf of Germany, I can assure you that we will do everything to prevent Nord Stream 2 from being put into operation,” Merz emphasized.
He also noted that the recent massive shelling of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities demonstrates the Kremlin’s unwillingness to end the war.
“Moscow is just stalling for time. The memorandum on peace talks announced by Putin a week ago is still just words,” the German Prime Minister summarized.
What is known about Nord Stream 2
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is a large-scale energy project that aims to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. Its construction was completed in 2021, but due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the launch never took place.
Current status
In September 2022, both branches of Nord Stream 1 and one of the two branches of Nord Stream 2 were damaged by explosions. Denmark has authorized maintenance work on the damaged pipeline, but there are no plans to resume its operation.
Political positions
At the same time, some German politicians, including Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, are in favor of resuming a dialogue with Russia on the pipeline, considering it important for the German economy.
International initiatives
There have been reports that the United States is developing a project to restart Nord Stream 2 with the support of American investors. This is a cause for concern in Europe, as it could affect energy security and political stability in the region.
Prospects
Despite the technical possibility of partial resumption of the pipeline, the political will in Europe is currently aimed at reducing dependence on Russian gas. The European Union plans to ban new contracts for the supply of Russian gas by the end of 2025 and to stop all existing imports by the end of 2027.
Thus, the future of Nord Stream 2 remains uncertain and depends on the geopolitical situation, the EU’s energy policy, and further actions by Russia.
