Russia is ready to built Nord Stream 2 pipeline project on its own if the U.S. imposes sanctions on the companies involved in the project, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.
'If the U.S. imposes sanction, Russia can construct the pipeline on its own. However, we hope that such a hooliganism [the possible U.S. sanctions] will not take place,” Peskov told reporters.
On Saturday, the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported Russian President Vladimir Putin's indication to German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Moscow can completely finance the project.
During a visit to the German city of Meseberg in August, Putin said Russian and Germany have been working on Nord Stream 2, which will improve the European gas transport system, diversify supply routes and minimize transit risks.
'In this regard, I would like to underline once again that Nord Stream 2 is an economic project only; it does not exclude the possibility of continued gas transit through Ukraine. I know the position of the Federal Chancellor, who regularly raises this issue,” Putin was quoted as saying by a Kremlin statement.
The U.S. administration opposes the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, which is expected to cost around $11 billion to transport 55 billion cubic meters of Russian gas per year to Germany via the Baltic Sea after it becomes operational in early 2020.
Germany, for its part, blames Washington for seeking to block the Russia-Germany gas pipeline to boost its own exports of natural gas.
Poland, Denmark and Ukraine also oppose the project, arguing that it would increase the EU's dependency on Russian gas while also contending that Europe should instead focus on diversifying its energy resources.
In addition to Russian energy giant Gazprom, the project also involves Western companies such as Shell, OMV, Engie, Uniper and Wintershall despite the threat of sanctions from the U.S.
Last week, the U.S. President Donald Trump said that the U.S. is not planning to slap any sanctions against companies involved in the Nord Stream 2.
Energy trade is the backbone of relations between Russia and Germany. Germany is Russia's largest customer with about 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas imported in 2016.
Reporting by Emre Gurkan Abay in Moscow
Writing by Ebru Sengul
Anadolu Agency
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