Germany flatly rejected an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin to renew exports of natural gas through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline Wednesday.
Putin’s offer comes as Russia is limiting exports of oil and gas to Europe in response to weighty sanctions from NATO countries over the invasion of Ukraine. Germany pointed to Russia’s limiting of natural gas supplies through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in its response, saying Russia is not a “reliable” supplier.
“Nice try,” government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann told reporters of Putin’s offer. “Independently of the possible sabotage of the two pipelines, we have seen that Russia is no longer a reliable energy supplier, and that even before the damage to Nord Stream 1 there was no longer any gas flowing.”
“So for us, there is no reason to believe that that would change,” she added.
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Putin maintains that the September sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines was an “an act of international terrorism” aimed at driving a rift between Russia and the EU.
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“The act of sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 is an act of international terrorism aimed at undermining energy security of the entire continent by blocking supplies of cheap energy,” Putin said Wednesday. “Those who want to rupture ties between Russia and the EU are behind the acts of sabotage on the Nord Stream.”
Neither of the Nord Stream pipelines were operating when the sabotage occurred last month. Four explosions rocked the pipes snaking across the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Two explosions were in Swedish waters and two others in Danish waters. Each pipeline was struck twice.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline has never entered operation, thanks to Germany refusing to certify its completion. Russia had cut off transport of natural gas through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in the months prior. Russia now only transports gas to Europe through land pipelines that lie across Ukraine.
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Germany, Sweden, NATO and others have opened investigations into the sabotage, but they have yet to conclude.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
