Nord Stream 2 will be completed regardless of threats from US, as Europeans ‘feel humiliated’ – FM Lavrov

The flagship pipeline which is set to deliver gas to Europe will be completed despite US sanctions, Russia’s foreign minister stated. EU stakeholders understand their commercial interests, he said.

The United States has slapped new sanctions on companies building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, but they won’t have any impact on the $11-billion project, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a talk show on Russia’s Channel 1.

The pipeline “will come true anyway, despite all these threats,” as will the TurkStream – another project on the radar of US lawmakers – he added.

First, I am confident that Europeans understand their commercial interest. Second, their interest in terms of ensuring long-term energy security. Third, of course, they have been humiliated.

“Our European partners still keep their self-esteem,” Lavrov believes.

Germany, one of the main stakeholders in the project, has fiercely resisted US sanctions, referring to them as “interference in our domestic affairs,” while the EU says that companies doing business legally shouldn’t suffer any pressure.

Also this week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the ‘Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act’, which targets Russian banks, the cyber sector, and the country’s sovereign debt. It was called the “sanctions bill from hell” by its sponsor, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who explained that it is aimed at imposing broad penalties.

If the sanctions come into force, they won’t be left unanswered, the Russian foreign minister promised.

We will respond to sanctions, but in such a way that we do not harm ourselves. But we will respond for sure.

Still, it is difficult to understand what encourages lawmakers to back the avalanche of sanctions, Lavrov said.

“This is very difficult to understand, because I knew most of these congressmen, members of the House, senators, especially the Democratic Party, either through someone or in person. I never thought that these politicians could get to decisions that don’t do credit to serious statesmen.”

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