European Commission denies Nord Stream talks with German candidate
The spokesperson for the European Commission confirmed our commitment to phasing out fossil fuels from Russia. She also denied reports that Ursula von der Leyen discussed the resumption of the Nord Stream pipeline with Friedrich Merz.
What do you need to know?
- European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho emphasised the Commission's commitment to moving away from Russian fossil fuels.
- Friedrich Merz, the CDU/CSU candidate for Chancellor of Germany, met with Ursula von der Leyen, but contrary to reports, the Nord Stream topic was not discussed.
- The pipeline remains inactive, and its future is uncertain, despite speculation about a possible restart involving an American investor.
Will Nord Stream be resumed?
European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho categorically denied that the head of the EC spoke with Friedrich Merz about resuming Nord Stream. The meeting occurred on 5 March in Brussels, but the pipeline topic was not raised.
Merz is the CDU/CSU candidate for Chancellor. In February, his party won the parliamentary elections in Germany.
Anna Kaisa Itkonen, EC spokeswoman for energy matters, added that the commission is not participating "in the political debate" about the future of the Nord Stream pipeline, which has two lines connecting Russia with Germany.
Russian gas. Washington spoke with the Kremlin about Nord Stream
Russia suspended the Nord Stream gas transmission in August 2022. The issue of restarting the pipeline resurfaced in the context of recent talks between Washington and the Kremlin about the war in Ukraine. There were reports that Nord Stream 2 might become part of a US-Russian agreement, and the pipeline would resume operations with the involvement of an American investor.
What are the plans for Nord Stream 2? The EC has a clear stance
Nord Stream, despite speculation about its possible resumption, remains inactive. Itkonen emphasised that this project was never of joint interest to the EU and did not receive funding.
Moreover, if the pipeline were to operate again, it would have to comply with the rules of the amended gas directive from 2019, which would mean separating the functions of owner and operator.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which run through the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were damaged in September 2022 due to explosions. According to German investigators, Ukrainian special services are responsible for the sabotage.
