3 yıl önce

Russia: Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will eventually become operational

Construction on the pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany on the bed of the Baltic Sea and bypasses Ukraine, was completed in September but it lays idle while awaiting regulatory approval from Berlin and Brussels.

AP

The Nord Stream 2 project has become increasingly politicised amid growing tensions between Russia and the West.

Russia believes that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will get the necessary certification and will eventually start working.

"We don't consider such options and we believe it will be launched in line with the timings, set for certification," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told RBC media on Wednesday when asked if Russia had a "Plan B" in case Nord Stream 2 was not certified.

It is expected that the certification will be completed not earlier than the end of the first half of 2022, he added.

Novak said that Russia hopes no new requirements for the project will be put forward.

Moscow ready to export more

He also said that Russia was ready to increase gas exports to Europe, which has seen gas prices skyrocketing amid rising demand and lack of supplies, but under long-term contracts - the arrangement shunned by European companies in favour of short-term spot deals.

The project has become increasingly politicised amid growing tensions between Russia and the West, which fears Moscow may attack Ukraine to prevent it from forging close ties with NATO. Russia denies it harbours such plans.

The chief executive of Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz said last month he was hopeful that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would not come online, saying it did not comply with European law.