Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer told Die Welt newspaper that he opposes linking the launch of the Nord Stream 2 project to the situation in Ukraine and expects the pipeline to be launched soon as planned.
"I expect the Nord Stream 2 to launch soon as planned," Nehammer said.
As long as European countries need gas and oil, it is important to secure energy supplies from as many sources as possible and have adequate gas pipelines, the official said.
He also rejected Washington's demands to use the pipeline as a means of pressure on Moscow over Ukraine.
"I am against linking the launch of the Nord Stream 2 with Russia's behaviour in Ukraine. This way the EU will hurt itself", he added.
The statement comes after reports suggested that Berlin may halt the project if Russia-Ukraine tensions escalate into a war, cutting energy deliveries from Russia to Central Europe via the Baltic Sea.
Suggestions that there is a threat of a "Russian invasion" were blasted by Moscow, with President Putin stressing during talks with Joe Biden that Russian forces are deployed on the country’s own territory, not in Ukraine, and do not pose a threat to anyone.
