Moscow, Jan 27 : Moscow on Thursday condemned the US’ decision to not continue Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany if Ukraine is invaded. On January 26, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said President Joe Biden-led administration was “working with Germany” to ensure Berlin did not face any problem due to loss of the pipeline. “I want to be very clear: if Russia invades Ukraine one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward,” he told National Public Radio.
“I am not going to get into the specifics. We will work with Germany to ensure it does not move forward.” In response, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said, “If they [politicians] are ready to pay for their political decisions with … the money of their taxpayers, their citizens, so be it. But no reasonable politician, pragmatic politician, including in Germany, will not do this.”
The comments came a day after the US rejected Russia’s demand to bar Ukraine from becoming a part of NATO. Earlier, the Russian Embassy in the US posted a video of emotional departure of diplomats. The New York Post quoted the State Department as saying that more than 50 diplomats and their families had to leave the US due to expiring visas, but Russia has said the move amounts to expulsion.
The US has sent $200 million worth of military aid to Ukraine and has kept 8,500 troops on “heightened alert” to assist the NATO Response Force in the face of a possible attack by Russia.
