U.S. Department of State: Nord Stream 2 is political tool, not commercial project

 “Nord Stream 2 and an expanded Turkish Stream pipeline seek to deepen dependence [of Europe] rather than strengthen security. They are not commercial projects; they are political tools,” Francis Fannon, the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources at the U.S. Department of State, said at a special briefing via teleconference on Monday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Fannon stressed that unlike the United States, Russia’s energy companies were an extension of the state, and the Russian state used energy “for coercive political aims.” In particular, he said, through Nord Stream 2 Russia seeks to increase its leverage of the West while severing Ukraine from Europe.

“There’s been no indication that we ought to trust Mr. Putin in any regard,” the Assistant Secretary stressed.

“The U.S. and Europe share Western values. We look at commerce as mutually beneficial and reciprocal, but doing business with Nord Stream 2 is just not consistent with those shared values,” Fannon said.

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