The recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Kerch Strait should serve as a reminder to European allies of the United States why the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project is a “bad idea,” a senior State Department official told reporters in a press briefing on Tuesday.
“I would say the Kerch incident is a reminder that the less infrastructure you have, the less gas infrastructure you have bypassing Ukraine because of Nord Stream 2, the weaker the deterrent – deterrence is to Russian acts of military aggression,” the official said in Brussels.
The Russian-Ukraine naval incident in the Black Sea “should be a reminder to all of our European allies on why Nord Stream 2 is such a bad idea,” the official added.
Following the incident, Kiev authorities declared martial law in several Ukrainian regions located near the Russian border and the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The measure will be in place for 30 days.