Germany criticizes US actions against Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized here the approval by the United States Congress of sanctions against companies involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, a project led by Russia.

The punitive measures were ratified on Tuesday by the US Senate as part of an amendment to the 2020 US defense budget.

Germant's Uniper and Wintershall companies, Austria's OMV, French Ergie and the Anglo-Dutch Shell, together with Russia's Gazprom, are participating in the construction of the pipeline, with just 80 kilometers remaining for its completion.

According to local media, Merkel said her country is opposed to any extraterritorial measure and she will discuss these moves with Washington.

She also said she will follow closely the events related to the development of the project and the next steps of the Trump administration.

Nord Stream 2 stretches from terminals in Western Siberia to concentrators in Germany, across the Baltic Sea, and when it reaches full capacity it will supply 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year to German territory.

Moscow is seeking alternative routes to send natural gas to Europe, given the deterioration of its relations with Ukraine, through which less than 70 percent of the fuel that Russia previously transported through that region is transported today.

Russia denounced that the restrictions imposed by the United States are a violation of international law.



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