Nord Stream 2 halted: What you should know
Al JazeeraGermany paused the controversial project after Russia recognised separatist areas in Ukraine. Mariupol, Ukraine – Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz is to halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, which was set to double gas flow to the country from Russia. Germany has maintained the pipeline is solely a commercial project, but Nord Stream 2 also has geostrategic consequences, bypassing Ukraine and potentially depriving it of approximately $2bn in transit fees from Russia. “Russia uses Nord Stream 2 as a tool for influence over Germany and Europe – it divides the EU and transatlantic relations, while undermining the credibility of Germany in Europe and the US,” said Stefan Meister, a Russia and Eastern Europe expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations. “Germany has been resisting pressure from the US because it absolutely needs reliable gas supplies from Russia and, for all it is now one of the top exporters of liquified natural gas in the world, the US cannot replace Russia in that role as key gas supplier to Germany,” said Ronald Smith, senior oil and gas analyst at BCS Global Markets.