The German government temporarily halts the certification of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline for Russian gas supplies to Germany amid Russia's recognition of the so-called "independent" L/DNR. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.
"Scholz stops Putin's pipeline," writes the German tabloid Bild.
"Against the backdrop of the escalating Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the German government is stopping the approval process for the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline until further communication," the newspaper notes.
As indicated, Scholz made it clear: the certification has been stopped, so Nord Stream 2 can not work.
Germany's chancellor announced Tuesday that the certification process for the Nord Stream-2 pipeline would be halted after the Kremlin ordered troops into eastern Ukraine, saying that "the situation has fundamentally changed."
Scholz said he has asked the German Economy Ministry to withdraw an existing report on the Federal Network Agency's supply security analysis. "This may seem technical, but it is a necessary administrative step so that the pipeline cannot be certified now. Without this certification, Nord Stream 2 cannot be put into operation," stressed Scholz, who was quoted by the Berliner Zeitung.
The responsible department of the German Economy Ministry will conduct a new assessment of supply security, given "what has changed in the last few days," the chancellor said. "At this stage, it is important now, in addition to the first sanctions, to prevent further escalation and thus another catastrophe. That is what all our diplomatic efforts are aimed at," Scholz said.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his position that sanctions against Russia should include a complete halt to Nord Stream 2.
"Europe and the world cannot allow a repeat of the tragic mistakes made in Georgia in 2008. We agreed on the need to immediately implement sanctions for another act of aggression against Ukraine. These sanctions should include a complete stop of Nord Stream-2," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a briefing with President of the Republic of Estonia Alar Karis.
