In early March, Bild (Germany) revealed that the US and relevant parties are discussing a new gas deal, in which the US could take control of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to bring Russian gas to Germany.
This has shocked Berlin, where German leaders are struggling to deal with the energy crisis.
Severe reaction wave
Foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter (Germany Christian Democratic Union - CDU) has been outraged by the possibility of the US taking over Nord Stream: "Selling Russian gas under the US name will be a symbol of the connection between Mr. Trump, the MAGA movement and the Mr. Putin government. Nord Stream cannot be a bridge for peace but can even add to the instability of the situation."
Rene Dommerke (FDP Free Democratic Party), a member of the Nord Stream investigation committee in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, spoke indignantly: "At first, we set up a special fund to avoid US sanctions, now the Americans want to buy Nord Stream. This is really unreasonable.
prospects for Russian gas
The controversy has become more fierce as some CDU and Social Democratic Party SPD politicians have begun to publicly support the possibility of re-importing Russian gas if peace is established.
Thomas Bareiß (CDU), an energy negotiator, wrote on LinkedIn: "If peace is established, restoring Nord Stream - but under US control - is completely reasonable. The market should be allowed to decide this."
Brandenburg Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) also supported this view, saying that if a peace deal is reached, trade relations with Russia should be restored, including the supply of raw materials. This means the possibility of a return to Russian gas and oil imports.
Direct confrontation between supporters and opponents
The left-wing opposition party BSW and the far-right party AfD have called for Nord Stream to be restored. Mr. Robert Krumbach (BSW) emphasized: "It is time for us to act for our own benefit. Germany must review the sanctions to ensure it does not cause further losses to the economy."
"The future German government must promote the restoration of both Nord Stream pipelines," said Tino Krupala, co-chair of the AfD. We need to import cheap gas from Russia again - but under the control of relevant trading partners".
Meanwhile, the Green Party is determined to opposes any move towards reviving Nord Stream. "The discussion of some CDU and SPD politicians on an imposed peace and the resumption of gas from Russia is worrying," Mr. Felix Banaszak (Green Party) warned.
Mr. Anton Hofreiter (Green Party) even called the CDU's proposals a scandal: "We cannot return to dependence on Russia, which will only continue to provide billions of euros for Russia to rearms and prolong the conflict".
The current government is determined to maintain its stance
The German Economy Ministry, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Robert Habeck (Green Party), issued a statement affirming: "Nord Stream 2 is not licensed and has no legal basis for operation. Therefore, using it is completely off limits".
The cost of repairing damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines is estimated at more than half a billion euros, making recovery even more difficult.
