German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas slams Russia on Navalny probe claim, pipeline

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Sunday rejected Russia's accusations that the German government was obstructing investigations into the poisoning of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Germany has called Navalny’s poisoning an attempted murder that aimed to silence one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest critics and called for a full investigation.

Putin’s spokesman has brushed off the allegations of involvement and said last week that Germany hadn’t provided Moscow with any evidence about the politician’s condition.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reiterated Moscow's claim Sunday that Germany hadn't provided any evidence since Russia requested it in late August.

Maas rejected the accusation later Sunday, saying Germany had long agreed to Russia's request and had told the country's ambassador to Berlin so last week.

“There was no reason not to agree.. this is yet another smoke screen, of which we have already seen several in recent days,” Maas told ARD public Television.

German authorities say tests showed that he had been poisoned with a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group.

Germany on Sunday increased pressure on Russia over the poisoning, warning that a lack of support by Moscow in the investigation could force Germany to rethink the fate of a German-Russian gas pipeline project.

However, Maas also admitted that halting the building of the nearly completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would harm German and European companies as well as Russia.

The project would deliver Russian gas directly to Germany under the Baltic Sea when completed, bypassing Ukraine.

Merkel personally offered the country’s assistance in treating Navalny. He’s now in stable condition at Berlin's Charite hospital, but doctors expect a long recovery and haven’t ruled out that the 44-year-old could face long-term effects to his health from the poisoning.

Merkel has previously rejected the idea that the Navalny case be linked to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.