Merz is categorically against the launch of Nord Stream 2: Germany will not issue a license to operate the pipeline
16 May 14:55
New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has clearly outlined his government’s position on the future of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. In a commentary for Zeit Online, he said that the German government would not grant a license for its operation, despite potential attempts to revive the project with the participation of the United States or Russia, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
This statement came amid news from Switzerland, where the court decided not to declare the Nord Stream 2 operator bankrupt. This decision allowed the company to avoid liquidation, which, in turn, provoked questions in the media about whether the project could be restarted in the new geopolitical environment.
“Today, Nord Stream 2 does not have an operating permit. And this will not change,” Merz replied firmly, confirming that his government maintains a tough stance on energy dependence on Russia.
The Nord Stream 2 project, built in 2021 at a cost of more than $11 billion, was supposed to transport gas from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, bypassing traditional transit countries, including Ukraine. However, against the backdrop of Russian military escalation and the subsequent invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the German government decided to freeze the launch of the pipeline.
Its predecessor, Nord Stream 1, transported gas from Russia to Germany from 2011 to 2022 before being suspended. Both pipelines remain key symbols of Europe’s energy dependence on Russia, which EU countries have been trying to reduce since the start of the full-scale war.
As a reminder, the operator of Nord Stream 2, registered in Switzerland and controlled by Russia’s Gazprom, recently entered into a settlement agreement with creditors. This allowed it to avoid bankruptcy, but the future of the project itself remains in doubt given the political context.
Friedrich Merz, who took office as German Chancellor after the parliamentary elections, has repeatedly emphasized the need to strengthen the country’s energy independence and to abandon Russian energy supplies.
