Vladimir Putin moves Russian troops to Donbas, Luhansk; US, UK roll out sanctions

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has halted certification of a giant gas pipeline with Russia known as Nord Stream 2.

The project is worth around €9.5 billion ($14.5 billion) and has long been divisive in Europe.

Scholz had, to date, appeared reluctant to offer the gas pipeline as a sacrifice should Putin progress with his aggression in Ukraine.

Half of Germany’s gas comes from Russia and gas makes up one-third of Germany’s total energy supply.

The US Biden administration took a tougher line and said that the pipeline could not go ahead if Putin advanced in Ukraine.

But on Tuesday evening, Scholz said the pipeline could not take place right now and that he was withdrawing the certification process.

“Without this certification Nord Stream 2 cannot go into operation,” he told reporters in Berlin.

Matti Maasikas, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, said he would not miss the project.

“It damaged EU-Ukraine relations more than anything; was the main topic at my credentials ceremony, normally a solemn event; was the reason I was summoned by the host government, the only time in my career,” Maasika tweeted.

“I will not miss you, pipeline.”

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has halted certification of a giant gas pipeline with Russia known as Nord Stream 2.

The project is worth around €9.5 billion ($14.5 billion) and has long been divisive in Europe.

Scholz had, to date, appeared reluctant to offer the gas pipeline as a sacrifice should Putin progress with his aggression in Ukraine.

Half of Germany’s gas comes from Russia and gas makes up one-third of Germany’s total energy supply.

The US Biden administration took a tougher line and said that the pipeline could not go ahead if Putin advanced in Ukraine.

But on Tuesday evening, Scholz said the pipeline could not take place right now and that he was withdrawing the certification process.

“Without this certification Nord Stream 2 cannot go into operation,” he told reporters in Berlin.

Matti Maasikas, the European Union’s ambassador to Ukraine, said he would not miss the project.

“It damaged EU-Ukraine relations more than anything; was the main topic at my credentials ceremony, normally a solemn event; was the reason I was summoned by the host government, the only time in my career,” Maasika tweeted.

“I will not miss you, pipeline.”