Posted on 07/28/2021 8:35:42 AM PDT by elpadre
The joint statement issued in Washington and Berlin last week signifies that the two countries have struck a compromise deal over the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
Both the US and Germany were eager to simmer down the controversy. For President Joe Biden, the controversy stood in the way of reviving the trans-Atlantic partnership with Germany, while for Chancellor Angela Merkel, Nord Stream 2 is a proud legacy of her 16 years in power.
However, what is overlooked is that there is also a third party to Wednesday’s compromise deal – Russian President Vladimir Putin, who can be described as the “guarantor” of the deal. Typically, Putin shies away from publicity and these are not exactly happy times in “East-West” relations. Or else, ideally, this could have been a historic photo-op for Biden and Merkel with Putin.
The “back-to-back” deal carefully worked out beforehand came into view Wednesday evening when Merkel had a call with Putin to touch base with him for one more time. The Kremlin readout of their conversation says Putin “noted Germany’s consistent commitment to implementing this project, which is strictly a commercial venture and is designed to enhance energy security of Germany and the rest of the EU.”
In plain terms, Putin complimented Merkel and assured her once again that Moscow would treat Nord Stream 2 “strictly” as a commercial venture of mutual benefit. The readout signaled that Merkel took Putin into confidence regarding her talks with Biden at the White House recently during her “official working visit.” (much more at link)
(Excerpt) Read more at asiatimes.com ...
The uniparty Junta in DC couldn’t care less if Germany buys Russian gas. What enrages them about NordStream II is that it bypasses sticky fingers Ukraine who steals it outright as it passes through, or charges exorbitant transit fees which half of DC gets a handful of.
Hunter Biden, Pelosi’s son, Kerry’s son, Romney’s former Chief of Staff, Manafort, etc. There has been a long massive list of DC grifters enriched by Russian gas being forced to go through Ukraine.
Direct Russia to Germany kills that grift.
Also they are mad that if Ukraine keeps blocking the water canal to Crimea, Russia may shut off the Ukraine gas spigot.
And DC hates American gas, it’s far more difficult to get the direct bribes from a US producer than it is from places like Ukraine. That’s why Biden killed US gas, but Trump wanted yo sell it to Germany.
Lots of moving parts.
deal over the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline
What's controversial? It's a freakin' pipeline, nothing else!
I hate these people with passion.
Nord Stream 2: Trump approves sanctions on Russia gas pipeline
Published21 December 2019
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50875935>
What NATO rules?
The rule/agreement that no NATO member is to conduct such deals with non member countries like Russia without consulting with other NATO members. For Putin, the pipeline will no doubt be made to serve as a geopolitical weapon.
Germany's dependence on Russian gas is certain to grow as Berlin, as it plans to do, phases out its coal and nuclear power plants.
This raises a question about NATO, and the commitment of its 30 members to treat an attack against one as an attack against all.
Would a Germany that is doubling its dependency on Russia for the natural gas that fuels its economy be willing to go to war against that same Russia, and send German troops to fight alongside NATO?
https://www.somerset-kentucky.com/opinion/columns/merkel-flips-off-bidens-protest----to-buy-putins-gas/article_12d53d2c-73c3-559c-aaf3-094a545c1e57.html
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See also:
....German-American friendship has always stopped where Russian gas began to flow. Even 40 years ago, with the Cold War in full swing and the U.S. protecting West Germany with some 220,000 GIs, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt went mano a mano with Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan over a barter deal for trillions of cubic feet of Soviet gas.
Back then, the U.S. caved, but now Chancellor Angela Merkel is up against Donald Trump, who with his usual finesse has ordered her to “stop buying gas from Putin.” At stake is a new pipeline, Nord Stream 2, that will pump gas directly from Russia into Germany, outflanking NATO allies Poland and the three Baltic states as well as Ukraine. They are not amused by what they see as Russo-German collusion...................
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pipeline-politics-tests-merkels-mettle-11600211323
Would you mind to cite the legal norm on ‘such deals’?
The fact that Merkel got caught negotiating the pipeline deal with Putin in secret without consulting other NATO members did indeed endanger the principle of collective defense - especially in light of the probability that Russia will use this pipeline as a geopolitical weapon with a view to weakening the NATO alliance which, according to Russian spy Sergei Tretyakov, more commonly known as "Comrade J." is as much a hated entity of Russia as it was of the former Soviet Union.
Article 2 also states:
The Parties will contribute toward the further development of peaceful and friendly international relations by strengthening their free institutions, by bringing about a better understanding of the principles upon which these institutions are founded, and by promoting conditions of stability and well-being. They will seek to eliminate conflict in their international economic policies and will encourage economic collaboration between any or all of them.
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_17120.htm
Everybody understands that the pipeline is not a weapon, so it is a little bit off.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday defended a compromise agreement with the United States to permit completion of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline to transport fuel from Russia to Germany without the further imposition of American sanctions.
She called the pact, announced Wednesday between Berlin and Washington, “good for Ukraine,” even though the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 line, which is 98% completed, will bypass Ukraine and Poland. Germany and the U.S. said they are committed to blocking any attempt by Moscow to use the new line as a political weapon to control energy supplies to Europe.....
....The Ukrainian and Polish foreign ministers said in a joint statement that the German-U.S. agreement created a “political, military and energy threat for Ukraine and Central Europe, while increasing Russia’s potential to destabilize the security situation in Europe.”....
https://www.voanews.com/usa/merkel-defends-russian-gas-pipeline-deal-without-more-us-sanctions
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That doesn't sound a "little bit off" to me. I'll bet Ukraine regrets turning over her nuclear arsenal and signing onto the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances. Such a deal.
It is funny to see how the illogical propaganda conquers minds. Maybe Orwell’s books aren’t fiction after all.
Poland and Ukraine are the sources of the myth and they are doing all they can to stop the gas flow, peddling the fairy tale that it needs to be replaced by the American LNG, although the US companies lack both a capacity and good price.
Bypassing routes are a solution to the problem, where irresponsible transit countries are extracting unreasonable fees and stop the flow on a whim. You are overlooking the fact that the German companies own the majority of shares in the pipelines and it was their idea to start with.
Who in a sane mind would like to deal with limitrophes acting this way?
What weapon? It is a source of income for Russia. In 1984 at height of CW tensions Gazprom was still selling gas to USN in the Med.
You have just outed yourself. By all means, have the last word.
LOL. Now that’s funny.
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