The issue of building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the European Union is closed to anyone who respects the law. This opinion was expressed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview with the RBC TV channel, RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.
Lavrov stressed that Russia is 100 percent fulfilling its obligations to build the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. According to the minister, the current difficulties around the project are provoked by the actions of the European Union.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry recalled that when Poland tried to suspend the construction of the gas pipeline several years ago, the legal service of the European Commission decided that the project was purely investment and was launched before the amendments to the EU gas directive were made. “Everything, period, the question is closed. For any person who respects the law,” Lavrov emphasized.
Reuters, citing diplomatic sources, reported that the European Union may impose entry bans and freeze the assets of supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin in connection with a protest in the case of the founder of the Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK, included by the Ministry of Justice in the register of organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent ) Alexei Navalny. This possibility is associated with the willingness of France and Germany to take such measures. At the same time, Paris and Berlin may abandon tougher sanctions, for example, against the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. Agency sources also noted that the final decision will be made at a meeting of the Council of EU Foreign Ministers on February 22.
Currently, the construction of Nord Stream 2 has not been completed; a section of the gas pipeline is being laid in the territorial waters of Denmark. Work in the waters of the kingdom is scheduled to be completed in April 2021. In general, Gazprom expects that the gas pipeline will be completed by the end of this year.