Zakharova Ridicules Germany's Request For More Gas From Netherlands

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2022) Germany's request for extra gas supply from the Netherlands appears inconsistent given its stance on other regional political and economic issues, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday.

According to Zakharova, the German government and several utilities have asked the Netherlands to supply an additional 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas in this and the next heating season. She said the Dutch government was "surprised" because Germany is currently opposed to the Netherlands developing new gas fields in the North Sea.

Zakharova also mentioned the statements of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her visit to Ukraine on Monday about alleged non-compliance of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline with European legislation, as well as Berlin's readiness to take action against Russia in the event of military aggression against Ukraine.

"So, we (Germany) suffer, not simply because, but due to, more than principled considerations. Talk about Western 'values' and 'unity,' as well as their intricacies. And logic, too," Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, designed to deliver gas from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, was completed in September 2021. The process of certifying Nord Stream 2 AG as the pipeline's independent operator is currently underway to ensure the project complies with the conditions of the 2019 EU Gas Directive. German regulators are expected to decide on the certification in the second half of 2022.