In Washington Post, Marina Henke explains Germany’s silence on Nord Stream 2

Marina Henke, Director of the Hertie School’s Centre for International Security and Professor of International Relations, explains in the Washington Post’s February 18 Monkey Cage column why Germany has not yet directly threatened to shut down its Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project with Russia as a possible sanction in the current Ukraine standoff.

The US wants to impose severe sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine, and is asking its allies to do the same. For Germany, this would mean shutting down the pipeline, a project slated to soon start delivering gas directly to Europe from Russia. But Germany’s new Chancellor Olaf Scholz has not named Nord Stream 2 directly so far, although he has made clear to Russia that sanctions will be severe and in line with Germany’s allies.

“Why would Germany risk losing its reputation as a reliable NATO ally by prioritising the Nord Stream 2 project?” asks Henke in the Monkey Cage article. She outlines the history of the project and the political, economic and social dimensions for Germany and posits some reasons for Germany’s stance.

“Scholz appears to be considering ways to decrease Germany’s dependence on Russian gas. The government is looking at plans to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on Germany’s northern coast. These terminals could hold gas from the United States and Qatar,” writes Henke. “If Russia launches an invasion of Ukraine, it looks unlikely that Nord Stream 2 will start operating anytime soon. But it will not be an easy decision for Germany — and maybe not a definitive decision either.”

Read the full article in the Washington Post here.

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