Germany is ready to impose tough sanctions up to refusal of Nord Stream in case of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This was announced today at a briefing by German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock of the Green Party.
During a debate in the Bundestag, the foreign minister told opponents that Germany continues to seek diplomatic solutions, but she said that Russia should also go to negotiations, because "he who wants to talk, does not shoot."
"It is hard not to see the threat when hundreds of thousands of soldiers with tanks and artillery pieces are piling up near the border with Ukraine for some unknown reason," Annalena Berbock said
The minister called Russia's demands for "so-called security guarantees" "incompatible with the European security order".
Baerboc rejected accusations that Germany was not giving enough support to Ukraine. She cited economic support and cooperation, as well as military assistance, and refused to consider the supply of 5,000 protective helmets to Ukraine as frivolous.In addition, as Baerboc noted, Germany is currently engaged in repairing a protective bunker near Odessa and training the Ukrainian armed forces.
As Frontnews reported, Germany has delayed the delivery of US-made howitzers to Ukraine. According to Deutsche Welle, a majority of German residents - 59 percent - oppose arms deliveries to Ukraine, according to the British sociological research center YouGov. Twenty percent are in favor of arms deliveries, while 21 percent did not answer the question at all. The voters of the Left Party are 71% opposed, 67% of the Alternative for Germany and 61% of the Social-Democratic Party of Germany. The least opponents of arms sales are in the bloc "Union-90"/"The Greens" (55%) from which Annalena Berbock was appointed, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP, 54%).
Meanwhile, Gazprom said it has established Gas for Europe GmbH for the German section of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, according to the group's press service.
"Nord Stream 2 AG has established a German subsidiary, Gas for Europe GmbH. The new company will become the owner and operator of the 54-kilometer section of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in German territorial waters and the onshore facilities in Lubmin as an independent operator of the transportation system in accordance with the German Energy System Act (Energiewirtschaftsgeset)," the statement said.
Gazprom added that in a statement published by the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) in November 2021, it said that the establishment of a subsidiary is a prerequisite for certification under the Energy Management Act (EEG). Gas for Europe GmbH is headquartered in Schwerin.
