Nord Stream#Nord Stream 2

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File:Nordstream.png

Nord Stream (German–English mixed expression for "North Stream"; {{langx|ru|link=no|Северный поток}}, Severny potok) is a network of offshore natural gas pipelines which run under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany to provide Western Europe with natural gas. It comprises two separate projects, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Both of the pipelines, each comprise two pipes, NS1 A and B as well as NS2 A and B, for a total of 4 physical pipes. Both pipelines start in Russia and land in Lubmin, Germany. NordStream is owned by a consortium of 5 energy companies: Gazprom international projects North 1 LLC (Gazprom Group company), Wintershall Dea AG, PEG Infrastruktur AG (E.ON), N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie and ENGIE. It was the first pipeline that bypassed Ukraine and Poland to deliver Russian natural gas directly to West Europe.

• Nord Stream 1 (NS1) runs from Vyborg, in northwestern Russia near Finland, and entered service in 2011.{{Cite news |date=2011-11-08 |title=Controversial Project Launched : Merkel and Medvedev Open Baltic Gas Pipeline |language=en |work=Der Spiegel |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/controversial-project-launched-merkel-and-medvedev-open-baltic-gas-pipeline-a-796611.html |access-date=2022-10-13 |issn=2195-1349}} It was operated by Nord Stream AG. From 31 August 2022, Gazprom halted delivery indefinitely, officially because of maintenance.{{Cite news |last=Cooban |first=Anna |date=31 August 2022 |title=Russia cuts more gas supplies to Europe as inflation hits another record |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/31/business/nord-stream-1-europe-inflation/index.html |access-date=9 August 2024 |website=CNN}}{{Cite news |last= |date=2022-09-02 |title=Gazprom: Nord Stream 1 gas to stay shut until fault fixed, "workshop conditions needed" |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/gazprom-nord-stream-1-gas-stay-shut-until-turbine-fault-fixed-no-timeline-given-2022-09-02/ |access-date=9 August 2024}}

• Nord Stream 2 (NS2) runs from Ust-Luga in northwestern Russia near Estonia. The pipeline was built to increase gas exports towards Europe, aiming to double annual capacity. The project was completed in 2021, but did not enter service, because Germany withheld opening permission on February 22, 2022 due to Russia recognizing the Ukrainian separatist regions of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic as independent,{{Cite news|date=2022-02-22 |title=Germany freezes Nord Stream 2 gas project as Ukraine crisis deepens|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/germanys-scholz-halts-nord-stream-2-certification-2022-02-22/ |access-date=2023-03-08 |work=Reuters }}{{Cite news |last=Shalal |first=Andrea |date=8 February 2022 |title=Biden pledges end to Nord Stream 2 if Russia invades Ukraine |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-germanys-scholz-stress-unified-front-against-any-russian-aggression-toward-2022-02-07/ |access-date=3 January 2024}} in line with a previous joint warning made with US president Joe Biden on February 7, 2022 to end the project if Russia were to invade Ukraine.{{Cite news|date=2022-02-07|title=Biden vows to end German-Russian gas pipeline if Ukraine is invaded |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2022-02-07/biden-scholz-meeting-ukraine |access-date=2023-03-08 |work=Los Angeles Times }}

The project Nord Stream 2 was opposed from the start by the United States,{{cite web |author=Stephen Kinzer |title=When pipeline politics go boom {{!}} Responsible Statecraft |url=https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/10/28/when-pipeline-politics-go-boom/ |work=Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, responsiblestatecraft.org |access-date=9 August 2024 |language=en |date=28 October 2022}}{{cite news |title=US-Abgeordneter wirft Schröder "politische Prostitution" vor |url=http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/attacke-gegen-ex-kanzler-us-abgeordneter-wirft-schroeder-politische-prostitution-vor-1.746819 |access-date=9 August 2024 |work=Süddeutsche.de |date=17 May 2010 |language=de}} primarily because it would increase German dependence on Russian energy. The United States later imposed sanctions on companies that were involved in the project.{{cite news |title=U.S. imposes further sanctions in connection with Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-imposes-further-sanctions-connection-with-nord-stream-2-gas-pipeline-2021-11-22/ |access-date=9 August 2024 |agency=www.reuters.com |date=23 November 2021}} The U.S. sanctions were criticized heavily by German politicians as "a serious interference in the internal affairs of Germany and Europe and their sovereignty".{{cite news |title=Germany "firmly rejects" U.S. sanctions on Nord Stream 2 firms |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-russia-nord-stream-germany-idAFS8N28N08D |access-date=9 August 2024 |agency=www.reuters.com |date=21 December 2019}}

File:Nord Stream pipe in Kotka.jpg, Finland]]