Russia will find a solution to the situation that has emerged around the Nord Stream 2 pipeline through close cooperation with Europe, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said.
"We are sure that we will solve this problem and reach compromise in cooperation with European countries, with the European Union," he said when asked about the prospects of the pipeline for transporting Russian gas to Europe.
At the same time Kozak noted that the pressure is likely to grow. "But the capacities of this pressure are not unlimited, taking into consideration the position of the key EU member states that are interested in having the necessary level of energy security," Sputnik cited the Deputy PM as saying.
Following the U.S. call on all the engaged companies to suspend construction-related activities, Swiss company Allseas has already suspended work on laying the pipeline.
Deputy director of energy policy of the Institute of Energy and Finances, Alexey Belogoriev, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the Nord Stream 2 situation is still extremely uncertain. "This is primarily due to the Allseas leadership's reaction to U.S. sanctions," he explained.
"There is no reason to say that Allseas left the project completely. They officially announced that are taking a break to study the legal side of the issue and waiting for clarifications from the U.S. administration, which are likely to be given in January. The second ambiguity is related with the state of the Akademik Chersky vessel - it will take two months for it to reach the Baltic Sea," Belogoryev drew attention.
“As for the Fortuna barge, which is located very close, in the German port, it does not have a dynamic positioning system, therefore it can only work in German waters,” the deputy director of energy policy of the Institute of Energy and Finances emphasized.
At the same time, the expert expressed confidence that Nord Stream-2 would be completed. “If Allseas resumes work, the gas pipeline will be ready in March-April. If the Academician Chersky has to work, then the pipe will not be completed before September, therefore, it will be commissioned in the first quarter of 2021. Less than 5% of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline remains to be laid, and it’s hard to imagine that shareholders would abandon the project at this stage," the expert concluded.
