On Friday, Spiegel magazine announced in a report quoting knowledgeable sources that the German Ministry of Finance is considering the possibility of nationalizing parts of the Russian gas pipeline known as Nord Stream 2, which passes through this country.
Spiegel magazine announced on Friday in a report quoting informed sources that the German Ministry of Finance is considering the possibility of nationalizing parts of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that passes through the country.
This newly built Russian pipeline has not yet been put into operation because Germany stopped the licensing process before the Ukraine war.
According to this publication, the German federal government is investigating whether a part of the pipeline located on German soil can be cut off from the rest of the pipeline.
Pipelines leading from land to sea can then be connected to a mobile LNG terminal, according to the report.
The news regarding the possible expropriation of this pipeline comes amid growing concerns in Germany about Russian gas supplies.
Last week, Russia’s Gazprom shipments to Europe through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline fell by about 40 percent due to a shortage of parts caused by Moscow’s sanctions.
At the same time, the Kremlin called the reports about the possible expropriation of Nord Stream 2 “hypothetical”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday: “If there are any such actions, it will be the duty of lawyers to make a legal assessment of it, if indeed it is discussed.” But it is wrong to say something without knowing the nature of what is happening.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline starts from the coast of Russia and extends deep into the Baltic Sea to Germany. Its construction was completed in September 2021 and it was ready for operation by December.
However, German authorities halted the pipeline’s licensing process ahead of the military conflict in Ukraine. This two-string pipeline is designed to pump 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.