Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, responded to Germany's announcement on Tuesday that it would halt the certification process for the "Nord Stream 2" gas pipeline, warning of a sharp increase in natural gas prices for Europe. Medvedev tweeted, "German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has ordered the suspension of the certification process for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Well. Welcome to the brave new world where Europeans will soon pay €2,000 for 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas."
Earlier on Tuesday, Scholz announced that the certification for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline would be stopped in response to Moscow's actions in Eastern Ukraine. Scholz stated in Berlin, "Regarding recent developments, we need to reassess the situation also concerning Nord Stream 2. It seems very technocratic, but it is a necessary administrative step to halt the certification of the pipeline."
The 750-mile pipeline was completed in September but has yet to receive final certification from German regulators. Without this, natural gas cannot flow through the Baltic Sea pipeline from Russia to Germany. "Nord Stream 2" is capable of producing 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually, which represents more than 50% of Germany's annual consumption and could amount to $15 billion for Gazprom, the state-owned Russian company that controls the pipeline.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and several EU countries have opposed the pipeline since its announcement in 2015, warning that the project would increase Moscow's influence in Europe.
