In recent days, reports have surfaced about possible secret negotiations between the US and Russia regarding the restoration of the Nord Stream pipelines. German newspapers, including Bild-Zeitung, have published opposition from German politicians.
The opposition is not based on concerns that a US control over the pipeline would make Germany more dependent on the US. Rather, the worry is that the gas coming from Russia might not be a viable option due to high energy prices, which have triggered a recession in the country. According to German government sources, the newspaper reports that the government is currently assessing the measures it can take to prevent the revival of Nord Stream 2.
The CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter, who in the past has advocated for the use of German Taurus rockets against Moscow, was quoted as saying, “A sale of Russian gas under US label would symbolically solidify the connection between Trump and his MAGA followers and the Kremlin system. Nord Stream can never be part of a peaceful settlement and will not enable peace talks, rather the opposite.”
It is worth noting that the revival of the pipeline could make a significant, not just symbolic, contribution to Germany’s economic stability, a point not acknowledged by Kiesewetter.
The FDP politician René Domke, from the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which would directly benefit from the revival, stated, “First, a special foundation was established to bypass US sanctions and now the Americans want to take over the pipeline. That’s a story from Absurdistan.”
The Economics Ministry, whose minister will soon change, also commented, saying, “The independence from Russian gas is of strategic importance for the federal government and it will hold on to that! Moreover, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is not certified and therefore not legally permitted.”
The certification of the pipeline was delayed by the same ministry after its completion, which could also imply that a revival under US auspices might be feasible. In that case, the federal government would have to face a confrontation with the notorious international arbitration courts, as US investors would likely file lawsuits in the event of a refusal of certification.