Wolfgang Eichinger, President of the Munich Security Conference, said that Germany and other European countries will continue to need Russian gas for a long time to come, so the “Northern Torrent -2” may be accomplished despite Washington’s opposition.
He added, in an article published by “Spiegel” magazine, that the fate of the project depends on three conditions.
First, Germany should introduce a mechanism for the emergency halt of the line’s operation, and give other European Union countries the opportunity to influence the situation.
Second, Berlin could offer Brussels and Washington a “Euro-Atlantic Energy Agreement”, which would mean moving to renewable energy sources, strengthening European gas market integration, and increasing support to Ukraine. According to the German politician, Moscow could join this agreement.
Third, Germany can link the completion of this project to political demands, including those related to the Ukrainian crisis and the case of Alexei Navalny.
The Munich conference president stressed that whatever approach is chosen, Berlin must coordinate its actions with the European Commission, the United States and partners in Eastern Europe.
Source: Novosti