This is a dangerous geopolitical project that has nothing to do with gas supplies and threatens European countries, said Amos Hochstein, senior adviser for energy security at the department.
At the YES Brainstorming forum on Saturday, US State Department Senior Energy Security Advisor Amos Hochstein said the US would continue to work to curb the launch of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline despite the completion of its construction.
“Nord Stream-2 is a bad idea, a dangerous geopolitical project that has nothing to do with gas supplies and threatens European countries. The United States will not stop efforts to influence Nord Stream-2, we will work to ensure that it undergoes a thorough certification procedure and fully meets the requirements of the EU’s Fourth Energy Package”, he said.
The spokesman for the State Department believes that the efforts undertaken by Washington to postpone the construction of the gas pipeline have yielded results.
“We were initially concerned not with Russian oil or gas, but with their political use in Europe. To counteract this, we made efforts to provide Europe with liquefied gas, which significantly reduced the political influence of the Russian Federation”, added Hochstein.
Referring to Ukraine’s concerns about the termination of Russian gas transit through its territory, he noted that the current contract between Kiev and Gazprom is valid until 2024. In addition, the State Department adviser confirmed assistance to Ukraine in the development of alternative and nuclear energy.