Prime Minister Friedrich Merz shared in an interview with Die Zeit newspaper that Germany has no plans to issue a certificate for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
When asked whether the German government under his leadership could be granted a license to use the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Prime Minister Friedrich Merz said: "Currently, Nord Stream 2 does not have an operating license and that will not change."
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was completed on September 10, 2021. The pipeline consists of two branches, with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year, connecting Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea.
Since its completion, Nord Stream 2 has never been officially put into operation because Germany has canceled the project after Russia launched the conflict in Ukraine.
In September 2022, an unprecedented sabotage incident was recorded in one branch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as well as both branches of the Nord Stream pipeline.
The culprit of the Nord Stream sabotage has not yet been identified and the time frame for restoring the gas pipeline to operation has not yet been determined.
For many years, the Nord Stream pipeline has been transporting cheap Russian gas, fueling Europe's largest economy.
AFP said that German politicians are concerned about the news that US and Russian delegates are discussing the restart of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline with the participation of US investors.
German and British media revealed that Washington and Moscow are discussing the restoration of the Nord Stream 2 project as part of negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to German and US media, Washington and Moscow are considering a plan in which an American investor will buy Russian gas and then sell it under the US brand to Europe.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed at the end of March in an interview with Channel One TV channel that there had been discussions about the Nord Stream pipelines.
"It would be interesting if the Americans used their influence over Europe and forced Europe not to reject Russian gas," Lavrov said.
Last week, the Swiss-based operator of Nord Stream 2, owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom, escaped the risk of bankruptcy when the court approved the company's settlement with creditors.
The Nord Stream project has always been controversial because it allows Russia to have a major influence on the energy supply of Germany and the EU.
Currently, the idea of restarting the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines is Hampered by the revival that requires the consent and certification of Berlin.
Earlier this year, Thomas bareiss, a lawmaker from Merz's CDU, suggested that restarting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline after a peace deal with Ukraine could help Germany. However, these comments have received mixed opinions.
Social Democratic centre-left foreign policy expert Michael Roth called the comments "a completely wrong signal at the wrong time."
