translated from Spanish: USA authorizes gas pipeline from Germany to Russia through the Baltic

Washington.- The United States and Germany announced on Wednesday an agreement by which Washington will allow the completion of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, in exchange for help from Berlin to protect Ukraine’s energy supply.The pact resolves the biggest source of tension in the relationship between the two countries: the resounding U.S. opposition to that pipeline , which will link Russia and Germany by the Baltic Sea and which is almost finished. In a joint statement, the United States and Germany pledged to “ensure that Russia will not improperly use any pipelines, including Nord Stream 2, to achieve aggressive political ends by using energy as a weapon.” Read more: Light of the World church is shot again, this time in Nevada, USAWho the State Department stressed that it continues to “oppose” that pipeline as a plan by Russia to “extend its malign influence in Europe,” in practice it has decided to accept the completion of that project, which is already more than 90% complete. The most important point of the agreement is Germany’s commitment to promote the approval of sanctions against Russia within the framework of the European Union (EU), in case Moscow tries to “use energy as a weapon” or commits “new aggressive acts against Ukraine.” In that case, the German Executive would seek to promote “effective” measures against Moscow, which could affect Russian export capacities to the EU in energy matters, in relation to gas, but also “in other relevant economic sectors,” the statement said. Read more: Mexico moves forward on shrimp export certification to U.S. U.S. opposition to the pipeline was mainly due to concerns from its allies in Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine, which fears the project will allow Russia to scrap the gas transit route through Ukrainian territory. To address this fear, Germany is also committed to helping Ukraine negotiate “an extension of up to 10 years” of its gas transit contracts with Russia, which expire in 2024.The German government will even appoint a special envoy to carry out these negotiations, which will begin “as soon as possible and no later than September 1.” , notes the joint note. Read more: Tatiana Clouthier exposes U.S. to Mexico’s auto concerns under T-MEC German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas confirmed in a statement that Berlin will ensure “that gas transit through Ukraine is guaranteed over the next decade.” Germany will support the Ukrainian economy “with the help of renewable energies, so that it is future-oriented and more independent,” which will help “develop a greener European energy architecture,” Maas added.Specifically, according to the agreement, Berlin is committed to “establishing and managing a Green Fund for Ukraine” that will support the energy transition to cleaner sources in the European country. Read more: Supplier failure created communication problems on U.S.-Mexico flights: AICMGermany will initially donate at least $175 million (nearly €150 million) to the fund and both Washington and Berlin pledge to promote investments in that project of “at least $1 billion” (€847 million), including some from the private sector. German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke on Wednesday about the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a call in which they discussed Nord Stream 2 and the “transit of gas through Ukraine”, the German Government said, without giving further details. Given that Merkel will leave German politics after the September elections in that country, Washington will have to ensure that whoever succeeds her as head of Germany’s government complies with the terms of the agreement. Read more: 200 people are tracked in THE US: they could have monkeypox “We will look for any future German government to abide by the commitments they have made” under the agreement, a senior State Department official, who requested anonymity, said in a telephone news conference. The agreement drew strong criticism from both parties in the US Congress, including Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, who considered it a “mistake” to allow the construction of the pipeline to be completed. The State Department replied that it did not have many alternatives to this agreement, given that the previous administration, that of former President Donald Trump, “did not apply sanctions related to the pipeline until its last day in power,” when the project was already well advanced. Read more: No reopening: Mexico-US border closure extended until August 21 “This is a bad situation and a bad pipeline. But you need towe are providing help to protect Ukraine, and this agreement represents significant steps towards this,” the US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, said on Wednesday in a hearing before the Senado.La White House also revealed on Wednesday that Biden will receive his Ukrainian counterpart at the White House on August 30. , Volodymyr Zelensky, but said that the announcement was not related to his agreement with Germany.  Strong wind breaks glass from the door of an Oxxo in Culiacan

Original source in Spanish