Nord Stream 2: Walking a Geopolitical Tightrope Jakub Wiech
The fate of the Nord Stream 2 project is doubtful, and it is gradually becoming a litmus test of relations between the US and Germany. Like in a kaleidoscope
Not so long ago, in late January 2021, the Nord Stream 2 project was moribund. The pipe-laying work had been at a standstill for more than a year, not including a short, few kilometers long section completed in German waters. The continuation of the project was jeopardized by the US sanctions. For this reason, the principal insurer, the Zurich Insurance Group (ZIG), withdrew from it. Earlier, DNV GL,
a consortium of insurers, had made the same decision. Nord Stream 2 was also, for the first time, abandoned by a German company – Bilfinger. On January 19, 2021, the last full day in office of President Donald Trump and his administration, the US decided to impose sanctions. These included the Fortuna vessel and its owner, the KVTRUS company. The restrictions have 1/2021
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