OMV chief calls on EU to protect itself from U.S. gas dictation

Head of the Austrian energy group OMV Rainer Seele has accused the U.S. of trying to "dictate" energy policy to its allies. He also called on the EU to defend any companies threatened by sanctions from Washington for their involvement in constructing a controversial Russian gas pipeline.

The construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was being attacked by the U.S. as Washington wants to secure markets for its own gas supplies, the OMV head told the Financial Times.

"I would like to hear whether or not Europe is going to protect the independence of their own countries when somebody else would like to dictate to Europe what kind of energy policy they should follow," he asks.

"I think in a fair partnership you have to respect the positions of each party and Europe should work and fight for their own position," Seele stressed.

According to the newspaper, his comments come after U.S. energy secretary Rick Perry said last week that the U.S. was close to imposing sanctions on companies involved in Nord Stream 2, which the U.S. has long accused of being an attempt by Moscow to increase Europe’s dependency on Russia for energy supplies.