Insurer Axa on Thursday confirmed its withdrawal from the controversial Nord Stream 2 project, which aims to build a gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.
"
Like others, we have decided to withdraw from this project
", declared Alban de Mailly Nesle, director of risks and investments, responding to a journalist's question, during the press conference presenting the annual results. of the group.
Read also: The Nord Stream II gas pipeline, collateral victim of the diplomatic crisis between Germany and Russia
However, the group did not provide details on the reason for the withdrawal.
This gas pipeline project worth more than nine billion euros arouses the opposition of the United States and several European countries, including France.
Degraded relations between Russia and the West
Opponents of Nord Stream 2 believe that it will increase the dependence of Germany and the European Union on Russian gas and, ultimately, on Moscow.
According to press reports published in recent days, eighteen major companies, including Axa, withdrew in order to avoid US sanctions.
Read also: Navalny affair: the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the hot seat
Relations between Russians and the West have steadily deteriorated in recent years and are at their lowest since the end of the Cold War.
And the poisoning and then the incarceration of the Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny led to renewed tensions and new sanctions.
On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called on his security services, the FSB, to deal with the Western policy of “
containment
” which he said seeks to “
chain
” Russia.
