Germany puts the future of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the hands of the European Union

Is Nord Stream 2 ever used? This is the most controversial gas pipeline , The supply of gas from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea is at the center of the conflict between Russia and the West over the Ukrainian issue. New German Foreign Minister Annalena Barbach , Sunday night has been tough. He warned that the pipeline would “not be connected to the grid” if expansion continued on the Ukrainian border.

New German Chancellor Olaf Scholes He also described it as a “grave error” to believe that “crossing the borders of a European country may be without consequences.”

Increased dependence

Unlike his environment minister, who is highly critical of Nord Stream 2, Angela Merkel’s successor observes ambiguity about possible sanctions against Moscow. Often when a question annoys him, Olaf Scholz responds aside, pointing out that the gas pipeline will lose importance as the decorbonization of the German economy progresses.

It must be said that the gas pipeline is split within his party, the SPD: former President Heart Schrder is one of his most active lawyers. In front of him stands Rolf Mutschenic, chairman of the Social Democratic parliamentary committee: he called on the Rhineish Post on Monday to “do everything possible to reduce the risk of war and break the cycle of threats and counter-threats.”

Alexander Graf Lambstorf, an elected FDP expert on foreign affairs, said the ambiguity maintained by the new president over the tough sanctions against Moscow in the event of an invasion of Ukraine was ultimately strategic. Although the pipeline approval process has not been completed before September 2022, it is still open to discussion.

Gas pipe construction is of course Completed from September And Its filling began in October But in the face of national divisions, the coalition parties are relying on the EU to determine the future of Nord Stream 2. The German Federal Network Agency has been suspended November Its pipeline approval procedure, in accordance with the new European gas mandate, requires a clear separation of transmission and distribution operations. Even if this requirement is met, Berlin expects Brussels to give the green light.

To the EU, Moscow already supplies 40% of its gas needs, and this decision would not be less sensitive. Twenty-seven people split up on their own and cut off the gas pipeline, which could have several months of effects on gas prices in Europe. Are already undergoing a historical development . According to some observers, Russia Promised to increase gas supplies to Europe To alleviate the tensions in the markets, we can review the Nord Stream 2 file according to its evolution.

In this highly tense geopolitical environment, gas prices in Europe have once again soared 100 euros per megawatt hour Last week. On Monday afternoon, the benchmark contract for January, listed in the Netherlands, rose more than 10% to 117 euros per megawatt hour.