The prospects for economic and energy cooperation between Russia and Germany within the framework of the energy transition will largely depend on how the fate of Nord Stream-2 develops, said Pavel Zavalny, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy and President of the Russian Gas Society (RGO).
The energy transition objectively creates new opportunities for the development of economic and energy cooperation between the Russian Federation and Germany, he stressed, speaking online at the XXV Potsdam meetings.
“However, in order for mutually beneficial alliances and projects to take place, the partners must respect and trust each other, which is being eroded today in connection with the political crisis”, – said Zavalny, whose words are quoted in the message of the Russian Geographical Society.
“Is it possible to invest in complex, long-term, investment-intensive projects (and everything related to new energy, new technologies is exactly that), if you cannot be sure that they will not fall under politically inspired sanctions, will not become a target in political struggle and unfair global competition? This is precisely the target of Nord Stream-2. And the prospects and opportunities for new economic cooperation will largely depend on how its fate develops”, – Zavalny said.
According to the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy, in the context of the rejection of nuclear and coal, the expected cessation of gas exports from the Netherlands, a general decline in gas production in Europe, Germany and other European countries will need to increase gas supplies from Russia at least in the next two decades.
Nord Stream-2 envisages the construction of two strings of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The project is actively opposed by the United States, which is promoting its liquefied natural gas to the EU, as well as Ukraine and a number of European countries. The states imposed sanctions on the gas pipeline in December 2019, as a result of which the Swiss Allseas was forced to stop laying. It continued a year later – in December 2020, by the forces of the Russian pipe-laying vessel Fortuna, and on April 27, Akademik Chersky joined it.