In a last-ditch effort to save a vital gas project from US sanctions, Berlin offered Washington €1 billion ($1.21 billion) to boost imports of American liquified natural gas (LNG) in exchange, a German eco-group claims.
The offer was allegedly made by Finance Minister Olaf Scholz – currently running as a candidate for chancellor in the upcoming September general elections – in a previously unpublished letter dated August 7. The document, addressed to former US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, was revealed by Environmental Action Germany (DUH) on Tuesday.
In the letter, Scholz refers to the talks between the two officials, which appear to have centered around the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and imports of American LNG. In the attached “non-paper” section, the minister said that the German government “is very concerned” about US sanctions against the project, which endanger completion and subsequently put European energy security at risk.
While stressing that Berlin rejects both “direct pressure” from Washington and its punitive measures, the German government still came up with “a way forward.” In addition to increasing European purchases of American LNG, the German government was ready to massively boost investment in construction of LNG terminals on its territory.
“The German government is willing to massively increase its public support for the construction of LNG terminals along the German coastline in order to secure the construction of LNG terminals in Brunsbuettel and Wilhelmshaven and by providing up to €1bn,” the letter read.
The US has been long accused of trying to take advantage of the lucrative European energy market. The previous US administration condemned the EU’s “increasing dependency” on Russian gas, while offering its own more expensive LNG, officially branded as “molecules of freedom” or simply “freedom gas.”
Other German proposals included ensuring continued gas transit through Ukraine and supporting a Polish gas pipeline known as the Baltic Pipe, as Warsaw seeks to cut energy imports from Russia.
In return, the US would allow the completion and operation of Nord Stream 2. “Future legislation, which could be the basis for sanctioning Nord Stream 2, will either not be used or, in the case of compulsory sanctions provisions, blocked by waivers or other adequate and effective tools,” according to the letter.
While the environmental group that made the letter public does not support the construction of the Russian pipeline, it called the proposal to the US a “dirty deal” at the expense of taxpayers. The group demanded clarification from the government on the matter.
Nord Stream 2 is nearing completion despite multiple rounds of US sanctions that forced several European contractors to leave the $11 billion project. The gas link between Russia and Germany is set to double the existing pipeline’s capacity by 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
In a last-ditch effort to save a vital gas project from US sanctions, Berlin offered Washington €1 billion ($1.21 billion) to boost imports of American liquified natural gas (LNG) in exchange, a German eco-group claims. Read Full Article at RT.com Read More
(Natural News) On October 6, 1789, a group of French peasants surrounded the country estate of King Louis XVI of France and demanded that he and his family relocate to Paris. (Article by Simon Black republished from SovereignMan.com) The people were sick and tired of the king living the luxurious palace lifestyle at their expense…. […]
The reason we know Ukrainian officials are trying to goad the US into war is because that’s exactly what they say they’re doing. There is no ambiguity here — at this very moment, a furious multi-front lobbying blitz is underway to solicit full-fledged US military intervention in Ukraine, and therefore open warfare against Russia. To […]
It has become commonplace among western media to paint today’s Russia-China alliance as a matter of either “momentary convenience”, or as a strained partnership between two competing authoritarian regimes with global imperial aspirations. However, if one simply looks at the facts as they are without the filter of “experts” telling you how to interpret reality, […]
