Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said reports of the restart of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline were a wrong step for Europe's energy security.
"The place suitable for Nord Stream 2 is at the bottom of the sea, dissolved into pieces, not in the EU energy market. Instead, we welcome gas supplies from the US to the EU, not from Russia," ERR News reported, citing Foreign Minister Tsahkna in a press release from the Estonian Foreign Ministry.
According to Foreign Minister Tsahkna, Russia has repeatedly used energy as a weapon against Europe. "They are using energy exports to finance their war in Ukraine. If the information about the Nord Stream 2 resumption plan becomes true, it will be a completely wrong step for Europe's energy security," Tsahkna continued.
After Russia launched a military campaign in Ukraine in 2022, the EU has significantly reduced its dependence on Russian energy. Russian gas imports have fallen from 45% to 13%. The EU has also sanctioned Russian oil, oil products and coal.
This change will continue. The European Commission plans to present an action plan by the end of March to phase out Russian energy. This is in line with a political agreement to end imports by 2027.
Foreign Minister Tsahkna stressed that reopening Nord Stream 2 would conflict with this goal, because it would require the US to lift sanctions, which is not feasible at the moment.
Estonia expects the US to increase energy sanctions against Russia. This could include lowering oil prices along with the G7 and EU or targeting the "dark" oil fleet. In addition, according to the Foreign Minister, the EU should also strive to reduce imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia.
The British Financial Times FT reported that a "close ally" of Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed for a deal to restart the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, backed by the US. This reflects ongoing efforts to heal US-Russia relations under President Donald Trump.
Germany, which used to rely heavily on imported gas from Russia, now receives the majority of its supplies from Norway. A German government spokesman stressed that in all cases, the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea, is unlicensed and therefore unusable.
On March 3, the German Economy Ministry affirmed that the country's energy independence from Russia is of strategic importance. That means Germany excludes negotiations on Nord Stream 2 with Russia.
On September 26, 2022, both branches of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline and one of the two branches of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline were ruptured by explosions detonated by unidentified people.
A Swiss court has extended the debt restructuring deadline for the Nord Stream 2 operator to May 9, 2025, warning of bankruptcy if the company fails to meet the requirements.
