Spox says Moscow concerned with US statements on Nord Stream-2

MOSCOW, Jul 16 (PRIME) -- The U.S. statements on Russia-led Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project are an example of unfair competition and Moscow is concerned about that, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RT in an interview broadcast on Monday.

“The recent story with statements by the U.S. side on the Nord Stream-2, a purely commercial project, is probably a blatant example of unfair competition,” Peskov said. Moscow is concerned about these statements, he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump may not raise the issue of the Nord Stream-2 project at their meeting in Helsinki later on Monday, Peskov also said.

Nord Stream-2 is an international project comprising a lot of shareholders, which are very big companies from different countries, Peskov said. “And, of course, let’s say that threatening these shareholders or Russia and Germany with sanctions in case of further implementation of this project causes serious concern,” he said.

Trump said on July 12 he believed it was unacceptable for Europe to pay Russia a significant amount for pipeline gas traffic services.

The Nord Stream-2 project envisages construction of two lines of a natural gas pipeline with an annual capacity of up to 55 billion cubic meters, running from the Russian shore to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Russian gas giant Gazprom will implement the project together with Germany’s E.ON and BASF, Royal Dutch Shell, Austria’s OMV, and France’s Engie.

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