Pence, Merkel face off over Nord Stream 2 at Munich Security Conference
Die Welt / Reuters
US Vice President Mike Pence has issued a warning to Germany over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline at the Munich Security Conference this weekend, reports Die Welt. His comments came after Merkel delivered a speech defending the project: ”It is right and important that Europe in some way retains sovereignty over its gas supply and the diversity of its gas supply," she said.
“We cannot strengthen the West by becoming dependent on the East,” Pence told reporters after meeting with Merkel in Munich, Reuters reports.
The US opposes the pipeline, which would deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany. American officials have argued the pipeline will make Europe too dependent on Russia, and would prefer European states to import LNG from US producers. At a joint conference with US representatives, German economy and energy minister Peter Altmaier last week sought to smoothen tensions with the US, announcing that Germany eyes opening its first own LNG import terminal soon and enable direct gas trade with the US.
