US-Germany Agree on 'Nord Stream 2'... "Biden Reaffirms Priority of Transatlantic Alliance" (Comprehensive)

Eastern Europe including Ukraine opposes "Threat to National Security"
"Reflecting the situation where natural gas weaponization becomes difficult amid eco-friendly policies"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The United States has agreed to complete the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which had triggered diplomatic tensions with Germany, and issued a joint statement. While Ukraine and other Eastern European countries have expressed concerns about Russia weaponizing energy and have opposed the move, the Biden administration appears to have prioritized its relationship with Germany, a key country in the Atlantic alliance. Experts analyze that the recent rapid shift toward eco-friendly energy policies has led to the assessment that Russia would find it difficult to weaponize natural gas, which likely influenced the U.S. agreement.

On the 21st (local time), the U.S. and German governments announced through a joint statement that both countries had agreed to complete the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The joint statement emphasized, "To respond to the potential malicious activities by Russia to weaponize energy, we will maintain appropriate sanctions and preparedness," and added, "We will ensure that Russia does not misuse gas pipelines, including Nord Stream 2, to achieve aggressive political objectives."

Additionally, the statement said, "Germany will utilize all possible means to enable Russia to extend its gas transport contract with Ukraine for up to 10 years, and the United States fully supports these efforts," and "We also pledge to support Ukraine with eco-friendly energy technologies and a $1 billion green fund." This is interpreted as a response to Ukraine's strong opposition.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky strongly criticized the agreement in an interview with the U.S. political media Axios, stating, "The contents of the agreement between the U.S. and Germany fall far short of Ukraine's hopes and will not resolve Europe's national security issues." NATO member countries in Eastern Europe, including Poland, reportedly expressed opposition, calling the agreement ambiguous.

Nord Stream 2 is a gas pipeline connecting Russia and Germany. Previously, the U.S. and NATO member countries opposed its completion, fearing that Russia might exploit the pipeline politically after its installation. Ukraine, which is engaged in conflict along its border with Russia, was particularly opposed.

Ukraine opposed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, arguing that its installation could cause the loss of approximately $2 billion (about 2.3 trillion KRW) annually in gas transit fee revenues and make it difficult to maintain Ukraine's security. Existing pipelines from Russia to Western Europe pass through Ukrainian territory, so Russia pays transit fees to the Ukrainian government whenever exporting gas to Europe.

Nonetheless, the Biden administration's agreement to complete Nord Stream 2 is interpreted as prioritizing the restoration of the Atlantic alliance and the relationship with Germany, a key Western European country. The Associated Press reported, "President Biden postponed the originally scheduled July visit of the Ukrainian president to the White House by a month and first met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which was planned from the start," and added, "It was reaffirmed that restoring the Atlantic alliance, a campaign promise of President Biden, is the top priority in diplomacy."

Within the United States, opposition voices against this agreement are rising, mainly among Republicans. Jim Risch, a Republican U.S. Senator on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the agreement in a statement, saying, "It is full of promises and assurances but contains no meaningful actions and threatens the national security of the U.S. and its allies."

Some analysts suggest that considering the current global carbon neutrality trend, the agreement was driven by the judgment that Russia would find it difficult to weaponize natural gas, whose usage is expected to decline in the future. Stefan Sestanovich, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), explained in an interview with CNBC, "During the completion of Nord Stream 2, the energy market changed rapidly, and with the reduced share of natural gas, it has become much harder for Russia to weaponize gas supply cuts," adding, "Compared to previous concerns, the assessment that Russia's ability to threaten the security of the entire Europe has significantly diminished likely influenced this agreement."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.