The United States announced that it had reached an agreement with Germany on the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will at least double gas exports from Russia.
Victoria Nuland, a US spokesman, called it a “bad pipeline” but said the US would not allow it to be used as a political leverage on Europe. Ukraine and Poland are against the construction of the pipeline. The former claims that Nord Stream 2 threatens its security, and that the country could lose about $ 3 billion a year, which Russia pays for gas transit. The new gas pipeline will carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe per year.
Poland also opposes the 1,230 km pipeline running from Russia’s Vyborg along the bottom of the Baltic Sea to Germany’s Lubmin. Warsaw says the $ 10 billion project seriously threatens the security of Central and Eastern Europe.
Russia presents the project as commercially profitable for all of its participants. After discussions between Merkel and Biden, the nuances of the agreements reached and the deal were announced. The Associated Press reports that Ukraine will receive $ 50 million in loans for green energy technologies, as well as a guarantee to return the “transit” gas fees it will lose as a result of the pipeline bypass until 2024. The deal provides for the imposition of sanctions against the Russian Federation if it tries to blackmail Ukraine.
In May, the Joe Biden administration lifted sanctions on the pipeline-building company, although Republican lawmakers have actively resisted such a decision. The White House has made no secret of its opposition to the pipeline. However, according to analysts, Biden does not want to risk a transatlantic split with Germany at a time when he tries to contact his European allies.
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