German Defence Minister Says Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Depend on Russia's Steps Regarding Navalny Case

6th September 2020

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Tim Korso. Sputnik International
https://sputniknews.com/europe/202009061080383673-german-defence-minister-says-nord-stream-2-sanctions-depend-on-russias-steps-regarding-navalny-case/

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been under increased pressure to stop the construction of the nearly complete joint pipeline project of numerous European energy companies and Russian Gazprom ever since Berlin claimed to have found traces of nerve agent from the Novichok group in the blood of a hospitalised Russian opposition figure.

German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has said that the possibility of sanctions being imposed against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project will depend on how Moscow reacts to the situation with political activist Alexei Navalny, who had purportedly been poisoned with a Soviet-era military-grade nerve agent. She noted that Russia's cooperation on the case of the poisoning, which Berlin has so far blamed on the Kremlin despite presenting no proof of their claims, will determine Germany's response.

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AP Photo / Andreas Gebert Christian Democratic Union, CDU party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer gives a statement after a Christian Social Union party meeting at “Kloster Seeon” in Seeon, Germany, January 5, 2019

At the same time, the minister, who once had been a prime candidate to replace Merkel as the CDU leader and possibly the Chancellor, admitted to having no warm feelings to the project, which united Russian Gazprom and numerous European energy giants, including those from Germany.

"I have always said that I am not fond of the Nord Stream 2 project. To me it was always clear that the security interests of Eastern European states and Ukraine must be taken into consideration", Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said.

Navalny's Alleged Poisoning

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REUTERS / Christian Mang Germany Says Info on Navalny's Case May Be Transferred to Russia, but Process Might Be Long

After he spent a week and a half there without visible improvements to his status, German authorities claimed on 2 September that traces of military-grade nerve agent from the Novichok group had been found in Navalny's blood, despite Russian doctors finding no traces of poison previously. Berlin demanded an explanation from Moscow and threatened sanctions, but the Kremlin refused to give any comments until it sees information on the poisoning from Germany. As of 6 September, Berlin has failed to pass along the results of their tests, claiming that it might take some time, but has continued to rush Moscow with a response to the case.

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