BERLIN (Sputnik) – Rainer Seele, the CEO of the Austrian OMV energy company, slammed on Tuesday letters that US Ambassador to Berlin Richard Grenell reportedly sent to German companies participating in the Nord Stream 2 project as an “unacceptable threat.”
“The letter in an absolutely unacceptable threat to German companies. This is an expression of the changed US foreign policy. Washington relies on confrontation, not cooperation with its allies. I deeply regret this,” Seele said as quoted by German newspaper Handelsblatt.
Seele expressed the belief that Europe did not need US “tutorship” on energy policy.
“We’ll take care of our own energy policy so that security of deliveries and competitiveness are regulated in such a manner that we find satisfactory,” Seele said.
He specified that he did not believe that the possible sanctions against the Nord Stream participating companies would have significant influence since unilateral restrictions always had “limited effect.”
The statement was made after on Sunday, media reports emerged that Grenell had sent letters to a number of German companies, hinting that Washington could introduce sanctions for supporting Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline construction project, under which Russian natural gas would be brought to Europe via the Baltic Sea and a hub in Germany.
Nord Stream 2 is a joint venture of Russian gas giant Gazprom and five European companies, including the OMV. It aims to deliver 55 billion cubic meters (1.9 trillion cubic feet) of Russian natural gas annually to the European Union via the Baltic Sea and Germany. The pipeline project has been welcomed by some countries in Europe and opposed by others.
The United States has been strongly opposing Nord Stream 2 project. In this regard, Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced the belief that US leader Donald Trump was seeking to force Russia out of the European energy market so that the United States could sell more liquefied natural gas to Europe.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
