"Contrary to the claims of the pipeline’s vociferous opponents, Nord Stream 2 will have no implications on European security whatsoever. Germany will not be Finlandized, Ukraine and Central Europe will not be sold to Russia, Russia will not use its gas to strangle Europe, and NATO solidarity will not be compromised. The debate in Washington on Nord Stream 2 fails to acknowledge that Europe has successfully addressed its Russian gas problem by creating an integrated market for gas across the bloc. Natural gas has become a traded commodity across the European Union. Russian gas has competition everywhere, and there is massive spare liquefied natural gas capacity to serve the continent. The Baltic states and Poland will not be impacted at all by Nord Stream 2. They oppose the project out of political solidarity with Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia, not because it threatens their energy security or economic interests. Changing the logistics of Russian gas exports to Europe is strategically benign.

On the other hand, the only serious risk to European supply security that ever materialized was the disruption of gas transit through Ukraine. In January 2009, Russian gas stopped flowing to Central and Western Europe for two full weeks, after Russia and Ukraine failed to renew their annual contract.. It was the largest supply disruption in global gas trade history. Its dominant position in transit gave Ukraine leverage over Russia, which Kyiv used to keep prices low. The arrangement generated increasing tensions with Russia’s state-run Gazprom energy company and created opportunities for political corruption. Removing the Ukrainian transit risk from the Russian-EU gas relationship was a legitimate shared interest of Europe and Russia, advanced via new pipeline projects under the Baltic Sea and Black Sea. Once the new Russo-German link is completed, it will make Europe’s energy supply safer."

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/29/nord-stream-2-russia-germany-gas-pipeline-lng-baltic-biden-europe-ukraine-energy/

On Monday, May 3, 2021 at 3:39:18 AM UTC+8, ltlee1 wrote:
> "Contrary to the claims of the pipeline’s vociferous opponents, Nord Stream 2 will have no implications on European security whatsoever. Germany will not be Finlandized, Ukraine and Central Europe will not be sold to Russia, Russia will not use its gas to strangle Europe, and NATO solidarity will not be compromised. The debate in Washington on Nord Stream 2 fails to acknowledge that Europe has successfully addressed its Russian gas problem by creating an integrated market for gas across the bloc. Natural gas has become a traded commodity across the European Union. Russian gas has competition everywhere, and there is massive spare liquefied natural gas capacity to serve the continent. The Baltic states and Poland will not be impacted at all by Nord Stream 2. They oppose the project out of political solidarity with Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia, not because it threatens their energy security or economic interests. Changing the logistics of Russian gas exports to Europe is strategically benign.
>
> On the other hand, the only serious risk to European supply security that ever materialized was the disruption of gas transit through Ukraine. In January 2009, Russian gas stopped flowing to Central and Western Europe for two full weeks, after Russia and Ukraine failed to renew their annual contract. It was the largest supply disruption in global gas trade history. Its dominant position in transit gave Ukraine leverage over Russia, which Kyiv used to keep prices low. The arrangement generated increasing tensions with Russia’s state-run Gazprom energy company and created opportunities for political corruption. Removing the Ukrainian transit risk from the Russian-EU gas relationship was a legitimate shared interest of Europe and Russia, advanced via new pipeline projects under the Baltic Sea and Black Sea. Once the new Russo-German link is completed, it will make Europe’s energy supply safer."
>
> https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/29/nord-stream-2-russia-germany-gas-pipeline-lng-baltic-biden-europe-ukraine-energy/
----------

You can't reason with a gangster. The US is sanctioning one of its staunchest allies, Germany. If the US has so little regard for Germany, other countries can't expect anything more. Time for the world to choose freedom from American hegemony.

Wakalukong

On Monday, May 3, 2021 at 5:29:15 AM UTC-4, wakal...@yahoo.com.sg wrote:
> On Monday, May 3, 2021 at 3:39:18 AM UTC+8, ltlee1 wrote:
> > "Contrary to the claims of the pipeline’s vociferous opponents, Nord Stream 2 will have no implications on European security whatsoever. Germany will not be Finlandized, Ukraine and Central Europe will not be sold to Russia, Russia will not use its gas to strangle Europe, and NATO solidarity will not be compromised. The debate in Washington on Nord Stream 2 fails to acknowledge that Europe has successfully addressed its Russian gas problem by creating an integrated market for gas across the bloc. Natural gas has become a traded commodity across the European Union. Russian gas has competition everywhere, and there is massive spare liquefied natural gas capacity to serve the continent. The Baltic states and Poland will not be impacted at all by Nord Stream 2. They oppose the project out of political solidarity with Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia, not because it threatens their energy security or economic interests. Changing the logistics of Russian gas exports to Europe is strategically benign.
> >
> > On the other hand, the only serious risk to European supply security that ever materialized was the disruption of gas transit through Ukraine. In January 2009, Russian gas stopped flowing to Central and Western Europe for two full weeks, after Russia and Ukraine failed to renew their annual contract. It was the largest supply disruption in global gas trade history. Its dominant position in transit gave Ukraine leverage over Russia, which Kyiv used to keep prices low. The arrangement generated increasing tensions with Russia’s state-run Gazprom energy company and created opportunities for political corruption. Removing the Ukrainian transit risk from the Russian-EU gas relationship was a legitimate shared interest of Europe and Russia, advanced via new pipeline projects under the Baltic Sea and Black Sea. Once the new Russo-German link is completed, it will make Europe’s energy supply safer."
> >
> > https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/29/nord-stream-2-russia-germany-gas-pipeline-lng-baltic-biden-europe-ukraine-energy/
> ----------
>
> You can't reason with a gangster. The US is sanctioning one of its staunchest allies, Germany. If the US has so little regard for Germany, other countries can't expect anything more. Time for the world to choose freedom from American hegemony.
>
> Wakalukong

"On the other hand, the only serious risk to European supply security that ever materialized was the disruption of gas transit through Ukraine."

The US loves to have a choke point.

Yes, US can oppose and block and even kill the Nord Stream 2 pipeline
project from Russia to Germany.

This is because Germany needs NATO approval more. Germany is not able to
defend on its own.

Without NATO and US, Germany has no strong defensive and forwarding army to
fight a Russian invading war.

Many other European countries also oppose the German deal that direct Nord
Stream 2 pipeline to Germany.

They consider the stream 2 gas pipeline project is an entrapment that will
be dangerously dependent on Russian for European energy security.

They know that they cannot defend on their own without NATO and US defence,
and the Stream 2 pipeline of 764 miles long.

It is designed to deliver Russian gas directly to Germany that will be laid
under the Baltic Sea, as Russian wants to bypass Ukraine.

US provides for the European security guarantees, but they sensed the
certain European country is not meeting its security commitments through
NATO

However, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is already at 94% percentage completion
and will be ready for gas to flow in a few month's time.

This is critical time as it means when the gas flowed there will not be
possible to scrap the pipeline project from flowing.

If the pipeline project is cancelled before the final miles of completion,
the only cost will be the insurance contract cost to cover for it.

But this is not a major issue nor a big problem as it is a just a premium
for insurance of the pipeline project.

It will be critical few months more left to the completion of the stream 2
pipeline directly to Germany.

It will be coinciding the election of the new Chancellor for the decision to
be made.

Henceforth, there is much concerned if Merkel does not make any decision
until the next the incoming new chancellor of Germany is appointed.

US and other European members of NATO do not want the pipeline to become
their "unstoppable obstacle and obstruction" for them to sanction Russia in
the future.

US gives Germany the alternative of using Liquefied natural gas (LNG) that
will deliver by LNG ships to Germany and European countries.

The stream 2 pipeline will be the only impediment for US to sanction Russia
now and in the future. Already now, US is planning to further add sanctions
on Russia for several issues soon

Seriously speaking, Russia recently made "invading exercises" of 100,000
troops and tanks at the border with Ukraine were a serious concerns to NATO
and EU nations.

They will be now be more hurry in supportive with US to force Merkel of
Germany to cancel the pipeline project. This would mean Russia will not have
the revenue from it, too.

And also, Russia will not use the pipeline supply to suffocate Germany that
will supply to other European countries, too.

Ultimately, Germany will have a major role in deciding to potentially
killing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany.

Henceforth, it depends on the next election in September 26 for the new
German Chancellor to replace Merkel who has decided to step down and retired
from politics.

"ltlee1" wrote in message
news:67254aed-e62f-49aa-995f-b2cb548ca57dn@googlegroups.com...

"Contrary to the claims of the pipeline’s vociferous opponents, Nord Stream
2 will have no implications on European security whatsoever. Germany will
not be Finlandized, Ukraine and Central Europe will not be sold to Russia,
Russia will not use its gas to strangle Europe, and NATO solidarity will not
be compromised. The debate in Washington on Nord Stream 2 fails to
acknowledge that Europe has successfully addressed its Russian gas problem
by creating an integrated market for gas across the bloc. Natural gas has
become a traded commodity across the European Union. Russian gas has
competition everywhere, and there is massive spare liquefied natural gas
capacity to serve the continent. The Baltic states and Poland will not be
impacted at all by Nord Stream 2. They oppose the project out of political
solidarity with Ukraine in its confrontation with Russia, not because it
threatens their energy security or economic interests. Changing the
logistics of Russian gas exports to Europe is strategically benign.

On the other hand, the only serious risk to European supply security that
ever materialized was the disruption of gas transit through Ukraine. In
January 2009, Russian gas stopped flowing to Central and Western Europe for
two full weeks, after Russia and Ukraine failed to renew their annual
contract. It was the largest supply disruption in global gas trade history.
Its dominant position in transit gave Ukraine leverage over Russia, which
Kyiv used to keep prices low. The arrangement generated increasing tensions
with Russia’s state-run Gazprom energy company and created opportunities for
political corruption. Removing the Ukrainian transit risk from the
Russian-EU gas relationship was a legitimate shared interest of Europe and
Russia, advanced via new pipeline projects under the Baltic Sea and Black
Sea. Once the new Russo-German link is completed, it will make Europe’s
energy supply safer."

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/29/nord-stream-2-russia-germany-gas-pipeline-lng-baltic-biden-europe-ukraine-energy/