No 10 welcomes Germany’s suspension of Nord Stream 2 approval
When asked about the news that Germany had today announced the suspension of approval for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline , the prime minister’s spokesman welcomed the move, saying: “We have noted that Germany has, at least temporarily suspended, certification on Nord Stream 2. We have long set out our opposition to Nord Stream 2 and the risks that it can pose to security in the region.
“It is something the prime minister has talked about for a long time now and we will continue to speak to our European partners, and indeed Ukraine, on this issue.”
In an address to the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at the Guildhall yesterday evening, the prime minister expressed grave concerns about the sovereignty of Ukraine and implied that Europe had a choice between ensuring this and relying on Russian energy.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is set to move gas over 1,200 kilometres from just outside of St. Petersburg to Germany’s Baltic coast.
Its combined annual capacity of around 110 billion cubic meters of gas would significantly increase the reliance of Germany and its neighbours on Russian gas.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky opposes the pipeline, arguing that it threatens the country’s security.
Germany has increased its use of natural gas since its reversal of plans to extend its nuclear capacity in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
