The Austrian authorities hope that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline construction project will be successfully completed, despite the US sanctions imposed on it. This position of the country on this issue was revealed by the Russian Ambassador to Vienna Dmitry Lyubinsky in an interview with RIA Novosti .
According to the diplomat, Austria takes a constructive and consistent position in terms of project implementation.
“Here they understand that the project is economically profitable for Austria, and they expect that the construction of the gas pipeline will be completed in accordance with the existing contractual basis and in spite of the illegal US sanctions, which pursue narrowly selfish goals – not only to push Russia back and push through its own LNG, but and strike a blow at the competitiveness of the energy-intensive industry EU “, Lyubinsky explained.
Earlier in December, the chapter German Foreign Ministry Heiko Maas promised to protect the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from restrictions that may be imposed under the new administration of the US-elect Joe Biden . He stressed that the German government will not change its position on the gas pipeline even if the leadership of the United States changes.
Initially, Nord Stream 2 was planned to be completed and commissioned at the end of 2019. However, construction stalled last December after the US threatened to sanction the pipelayer owners.