Germany signals tougher stance on contentious gas pipeline amid Russia's row with Ukraine

Germany, which has opted for a differing 'pro-Russia' tone drifting away from now divided NATO alliance on the Russia-Ukraine crisis said on Thursday that "nothing will be off the table" if it comes down to the threat of Russian invasion and overall security of the European Union. German ambassador to the US Emily Haber tweeted: "Nothing will be off the table, including Nord Stream 2" if Russia violated Ukraine's sovereignty, indicating that Germany will align with NATO's goals. Her remarks were made in context to US threats of axing the key pipeline that supplies Russian gas throughout Western Europe. “If Russia invades Ukraine one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward," US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told NPR. 

Germany has become one of the 'weak links' in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict owing to its WWII history with the former Soviet Union. Admitting to the seriousness of the issue, US President Joe Biden had told a briefing: “There are differences in NATO as to what countries are willing to do, depending on what happens.” While both United States and Britain have sent military weapons to Ukraine, and NATO countries like Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia have sought to help their Ukrainian counterpart with US manufactured arms, Germany made every attempt to block an armed conflict from escalating with Russia's Putin as it blocked Estonia's arms export to Kyiv. 

During a talk on the subject of Germany's stance with America's NPR, Price reassured that the US "will work with Germany to ensure it [gas pipeline] does not move forward." He sent a dire warning to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, reiterating that the Biden administration will choke the opening of the pipeline completely, and cut off the energy supply, adding that the US will hold talks and "convince Germany" to impose sanctions. US State Department spokesperson, though, did not get into details of how that would be done. ”I’m not going to get into the specifics,” Price said, refusing to divulge any further details. 

Germany's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, meanwhile in a positive step notified the parliament that Western allies [US] were "working on a strong package of sanctions” that includes the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Germany, though is bound by the US agreement signed by the former Chancellor Angela Merkel that empowers the United States to cut off the pipeline and slap "sanctions" if gas is "used as a weapon”. As she was set to leave office after 16 years in power, Merkel had told the press that the agreement with the US is Germany’s commitment to Ukraine's security, and is "binding on future German governments." 

Nord Stream 2 'a dangerous geopolitical weapon'

This wouldn’t be the first time that Washington has threatened to stop the 1,225km (760-mile) pipeline project that directly transports Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The former Trump administration had criticised the project, asserting that will grow Russian influence in the region. EU receives 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year. Germany’s own domestic production has been in perennial decline for the past decade, and the only other supplier Netherlands has had problems due to the Groningen field. 

“We’re protecting Germany from Russia and Russia is getting billions and billions of dollars from Germany,” Trump had lambasted Berlin during his presidency speaking alongside Poland President Andrzej Duda at the White House. US, Eastern European, Nordic and Baltic Sea countries see Nord Stream 2 as the economic grip of Russia on Europe like Germany, the largest European economy needs steady gas supplies to wade off the coal and nuclear power as the source of energy. 

On several occasions, Trump had threatened to impose sanctions on the $12-billion gas pipeline. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously labelled the pipeline as a "dangerous geopolitical weapon.” "We view this project exclusively through the prism of security and consider it a dangerous geopolitical weapon of the Kremlin," Zelensky had warned at a conference alongside the then German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The pipeline will be dangerous "for all of Europe” he had stressed, adding that the pipeline "will only play into the hands of the Russian Federation” and the main risks will be borne by Ukraine. The project is yet to begin as currently, it does not comply with German laws as per the regulators. But when operational, the controversial energy project is expected to double the gas flow in Germany.