French President Emmanuel Macron supported the position of German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the Nord Stream 2 project and stressed the need to strengthen Europe’s energy sovereignty. RIA Novosti reports.
“I share what the Chancellor said. Our priority in Europe is to ensure the energy transition is in line with our commitment to reduce CO2 emissions,” Macron said at a press conference following a meeting of the joint Franco-German council on defense and security.
He added that the positions of France and Germany in terms of strengthening Europe’s energy sovereignty are coordinated. “Our ambition is to respond to the challenge of the ecological transition and strengthen European energy sovereignty,” Macron added.
Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her readiness to enter into negotiations with the administration of US President Joe Biden regarding the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline after the new US leadership hinted at the possibility of partially lifting the sanctions. It was reported that Washington is awaiting concrete proposals from Germany.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea was supposed to be commissioned at the end of 2019. However, its completion was hampered, in particular, by the threat of sanctions from the United States, due to which European companies began to withdraw from the project.