MOSCOW, February 20 The suspension by the US authorities of the process of approving new contracts for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) abroad may affect the attitude of Germany to the Nord Stream 2 project and its launch, says Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov.
Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to supply gas to Europe through the intact Nord Stream 2 pipe, but Germany does not open it. Last month, the White House took a pause in issuing permits for LNG exports and explained the decision by the situation with climate change.
According to Shulginov, to launch Nord Stream 2 it is necessary that “the other side agrees” and organizes technical work.
“I think that everything will depend on what happens with them. Any statements, even by the Americans, about licensing LNG, may lead to an understanding that LNG exports from the United States are unstable and not guaranteed. Perhaps there will be an understanding that it is necessary to return to this (the Nord Stream 2 project — ed.),” the minister told reporters during the “Forum of National Achievements: Energy” at VDNKh.
Explosions on two Russian gas export pipelines to Europe — Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 — occurred on September 26, 2022. Germany, Denmark and Sweden have not ruled out targeted sabotage. The Nord Stream operator Nord Stream AG reported that the damage to gas pipelines is unprecedented and the repair timeframe is impossible to estimate. The Prosecutor General's Office of Russia initiated a case about an act of international terrorism.