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German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas expects the longstanding issue of the Russian gas pipeline project, Nord Stream 2, to be settled after Joe Biden takes office as US president.
“The European Union sees the sanctions introduced against the project as an illegal step and takes a different view of the political aspect when it comes to the issue,” Maas said in an interview with German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel.
“We don’t cherish illusions about the issue. There’s hardly any difference in views between Democrats and Republicans. However, a renewed strain and another way of discussing will help to achieve progress on the matter.” the German top official added.
Mass highlighted that Washington is pursuing its own, purely economic, goal, trying to increase sales of liquified natural gas (LNG) to Europe.
“I don’t see a problem about improving German infrastructure for importing LNG. But from the political point of view, we see the situation [with Nord Stream 2] differently: we are not becoming dependent on anyone once we complete the Nord Stream 2 pipeline,” the foreign minister said.
The US Congress has just approved its annual defense policy bill that includes a package of sanctions on corporations involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipelines.
Nord Stream 2 will supply Europe with up to 55 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year, on top of the 55 bcm already pumped through Nord Stream 1.TurkStream will deliver Russian gas to Turkey and on to southern European states.
