Russia has always fulfilled its obligations on gas exports and been a reliable energy partner for Germany for the past five decades, German Economy Minister Peter Altmeier said on Tuesday.
“Russians have been fulfilling their obligations every second and every hour since the dissolution of the Soviet Union … [Russia] has been our reliable partner for 50 years,” Altmeier said at an energy conference organized by the German Handelsblatt newspaper.
Nord Stream 2 is a joint venture of Russian gas giant Gazprom and five European companies, including Germany’s Uniper and Wintershall. It aims to deliver 55 billion cubic meters (1.9 trillion cubic feet) of Russian natural gas annually to the European Union via the Baltic Sea and Germany. The pipeline project has been welcomed by some countries in Europe and opposed by others, including the United States.