German FM defends Nord Stream 2 pipeline

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Wednesday defended the country's commitment to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline following reports of a leaked letter indicating that the country offered to help facilitate the import of U.S. liquefied natural gas if Washington dropped the threat of sanctions over a new subsea pipeline from Russia.

Germany's finance minister allegedly wrote a letter to then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in August saying the German government was "willing to considerably increase its financial support for LNG infrastructure and import capacities by up to 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion)" if, in return, the United States “allows the unhindered construction and operation of Nord Stream 2.”

The letter was published this week by the group Environmental Action Germany and matches reports by Germany weekly Die Zeit last September that Berlin was seeking to fend off U.S. opposition to the pipeline by offering to boost imports of U.S. gas.

Speaking at a debate in the Bundestag, Maas said questioning the pipeline could mean consequences for Europe's ability to influence Russia in the future.

He said working against the pipeline would mean a "complete economic isolation" of Russia, which could push it closer to China, meaning the west has less influence.

"I am against tearing down all bridges to Russia in this context," he said.