“Nord Stream-2” is beneficial for Austria, and US behavior, sanctions on the project cannot but cause irritation in many European capitals, the Russian ambassador said. Expert Igor Kovalev commented on the situation.
Austria sees its interests and benefits from the Nord Stream-2 project and is pragmatic, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinsky told the reporters.
According to him, the Americans are directly and quite aggressively trying to dictate their will to the Europeans: in particular, to stop the construction of Nord Stream-2 and force Western Europe to buy their expensive shale gas. According to Lubinsky, such behavior “cannot but cause irritation in Berlin, in Vienna, in many other capitals”.
“Our partners in Austria, including, of course, business circles, are pragmatic and see their interests and benefits perfectly. Austria’s Nord Stream-2 is profitable. The government has repeatedly publicly expressed support for the implementation of the project, and here they count on the fact that the gas pipeline will be completed in accordance with the existing contractual framework”, – the ambassador said.
As the first deputy dean of the faculty of world economy and world politics of the Higher School of Economics noted on Sputnik radio
Igor Kovalev, US position on Nord Stream-2 contributes to increased misunderstanding on the part of European partners.
“This, of course, is one of the factors that is the subject of serious disagreements between the EU and the United States. And, of course, it can play a role in the future if not mistrust, then a certain misunderstanding between the EU countries and the United States. Since, of course, the Russian gas is much cheaper – it is piped, not liquefied, and the distance is much closer to which it is transported. For these reasons, for European countries, including Austria, Russian gas is beneficial. Given that the gas hub for Seve of flow 2, there will be Germany, and it borders with Austria, this also reduces additional transportation costs. This project is really beneficial for Europeans, and it is no coincidence that the German government is desperately fighting to avoid the negative consequences of sanctions and implement this project”, – said Igor Kovalev.
On December 20, US President Donald Trump signed the defense budget for 2020, which, in particular, provides for sanctions against companies that provide laying services for the Nord Stream-2 and Turkish Stream pipelines. The US demanded that they immediately stop construction. The Swiss company Allseas, laying the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, has already suspended work. At the moment, Allseas is consulting with the US Treasury and after clarification, it will be clear whether it can continue laying the gas pipeline.