Merkel doesn’t rule out Russian gas pipeline curbs

BERLIN, September 7

Chancellor Angela Merkel does not rule out imposing sanctions on a pipeline set to bring Russian gas to Germany in response to the suspected poisoning of a Kremlin critic with a Soviet-style nerve agent, her chief spokesman said on Monday.

Merkel is under mounting pressure from members of her conservative party to suspend the Nord Stream 2 pipeline,

a huge project to double Russian gas exports to Germany that is more than 90% complete and due to start operating from early 2021.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in remarks published on Sunday that Russia must help clear up the circumstances around the poisoning of Alexei Navalny or face the possibility of Germany withdrawing its support for Nord Stream 2. — Reuters