Russia does not understand the statements made by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding the need to mitigate the Nord Stream 2 pipeline effects, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.
"We do not understand the remark regarding the need to mitigate the negative effects of the pipeline’s operation," she said. "Any speculation on this topic implies either unfair competition or attempts to politicize the situation."
"What negative consequences? Negative consequences for the U.S.? That they have lost the dirty game that they themselves started?" Zakharova asked. "This is their internal problem. Why start a standoff with a totally commercial, beneficial, and transparent energy project, which does not involve their continent in any way, this European business."
The diplomat underscored that this project spells no negative consequences for European countries.
"And about the fact that they [the U.S.] had to admit that the project is done — this is great that they actually peek into reality from time to time," the spokesperson noted.
On Tuesday, Blinken remarked that the U.S. could mitigate the negative effect of the Nord Stream 2 project and will seek to do so. He underscored that people connected to the project may face new fines. On May 19, Blinken confirmed that Washington refused to impose sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG and its CEO Matthias Warnig, claiming that this corresponds to US national interests. Meanwhile, Washington decided to impose restrictions against a number of Russian pipeline construction participants. The only shareholder of Nord Stream 2 AG is Russia’s Gazprom.
