According to Politico, EU diplomats call negotiations on Nord Stream without a European voice "crazy". They asserted that this was an "all-inclusive" issue and feared that the US administration was trying to put more pressure on the EU.
The US is trying to force us into the same path with a new layer of dependence, an EU official indignant.
Previously, TASS reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed that Moscow and Washington are discussing Nord Stream. Mr. Lavrov said it would be interesting to see whether the US will use its influence over Europe and force Europe not to reject Russian gas.
In contrast to the moves from Russia and the US, the EU remains persistent in its plan to remove fossil fuels from Russia, including Russian gas. The European Commission has said it is continuing to implement this strategy, despite the fact that the European industry is struggling with a lack of cheap energy.
Although the EU has partially replaced Russian gas, it is largely forced to reduce general consumption. According to Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Russian Government's Financial University and the National Energy Security Fund, gas consumption in the EU has decreased by about 90 billion cubic meters in the period of 2022 - 2023, causing many factories to close due to uncompetitive conditions.
On September 26, 2022, three of the four Nord Stream gas pipelines were destroyed in an unprecedented explosion, leaving only one branch of Nord Stream 2 intact. Russia has launched an investigation into "international terrorism" but has so far not yet reached an official conclusion.
Meanwhile, many German politicians and businesses are urging the Berlin government to consider restoring Russian gas imports to ensure energy security.
However, according to the Russian diplomatic mission in Germany, "there is currently no clear sign that Berlin is reconsidering its current stance, which still prioritizes political considerations over national economic interests".
