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Contentious Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline Is Dead for Now

  • German chancellor says pipeline certification can’t take place
  • Russia-led Nord Stream 2 project would circumvent Ukraine
The Gazprom PJSC Slavyanskaya compressor station, the starting point of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, in Ust-Luga, Russia.

The Gazprom PJSC Slavyanskaya compressor station, the starting point of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, in Ust-Luga, Russia.

Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg
Updated on

Russia’s controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is all but dead. At least for now.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz effectively froze the $11-billion link’s approval process by having the Economic Ministry withdraw its assessment that the project doesn’t pose a threat to security of supply. Without that, the operator of the pipeline connecting Russia to Germany bypassing Ukraine cannot obtain the certification needed to start operations.