France: Fate of Nord Stream 2 dependent on Russia's behaviour in Ukraine - EU's Borrell

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From the situation in Ukraine to linking Nord Stream 2 to Russia tensions, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell and Security Policy and French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly covered a range of issue in their joint press briefing following the informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Brest on Thursday.

“You cannot imagine that we are thinking on one side of imposing sanctions, just in case, and on the other hand to open infrastructure. It is certainly linked to the military situation in Ukraine,” said Borrell of Nord Stream 2.

“But if everything goes well and we deescalate and nothing happens then it is in the hands of the regulator to decide if this infrastructure can be work or not,” he added.

The Nord Steam 2 pipeline project is financed by Russia’s Gazprom alongside its European partners. It is designed to supply Europe with 55 billion cubic metres of fuel a year.

Despite completion of the pipeline in September last year, approval by European regulators is needed before gas can begin to flow.

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SOT, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs: “It was a way to express the support of the European Union to the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Now the dialogue with Russia has started, this is a must. Our position remains the same, that any further aggression against Ukraine will have massive consequences and severe costs for Russia. But it is more than Ukraine, now we are engaged in discussing the European security architecture.”

SOT, Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces (French): “On Ukraine we spoke about the ongoing diplomatic sequence, in particular the meeting that took place that very afternoon between Russia and NATO. This discussion was also an opportunity for Europeans to express their views on an issue of direct concern to them, namely security and stability in the European continent. Dialogue is the only way to sustainably reduce tensions and at the same time as Europeans we are ready and able to assume our responsibilities and to impose very severe consequences on Russia where Russia to launch an offensive against its neighbour.”

SOT, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs: “Things are going well, the consensus is being built, there are changes. But none of these changes affect the idea of a rapid deployment capacity. This continues to be part of the proposal, and I am fully confident that it will be in the end an part of the proposal. I think that events that we are witnessing, there is a big incentive to develop this kind of capacities. When? Well let us first wait to be approved politically by the European Council in March. And if it happens, and I hope it will happen, then we will start immediately working on the practical procedures to make it operational.”

SOT, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs: “And you cannot imagine that we are thinking on one side of imposing sanctions, just in case, and on the other hand to open infrastructure. It is certainly linked to the military situation in Ukraine, it is obvious. But if everything goes well and we deescalate and nothing happens then it is in the hands of the regulator to decide if this infrastructure can be work or not. And one may have different opinions about the interests for the European economy, European strategic autonomy, European energy supplies, about this infrastructure. But we are in a political space submitted to the rule of law. And we will do what the regulators decide to do, that is why they are there.”

#France #EU # Borrell #NordStream2 #Russia #Ukraine

Video ID: 20220113-017

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