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France calls for construction to be stopped for Nord Stream 2
Photo: STINE JACOBSEN / REUTERS
Against the background of the arrest of Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny, France has called on the German government to end the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project with Russia.
"We have always said that we have the greatest concerns about the project in this context," said European Secretary of State Clément Beaune on Monday the radio station France Inter.
When asked whether France was in favor of stopping Nord Stream 2, Beaune replied: "Indeed, we have already said that."
The European Parliament had previously called for Nord Stream 2 to be stopped because of the arrest of Nawalny.
The USA and several European countries, including Poland, have long been critical of the pipeline project.
They warned of Germany's excessive dependence on Russian gas and negative consequences for Eastern European countries.
In Germany too, voices calling for a stop or suspension of Nord Stream 2 have recently increased.
At the end of last month, work on completing the pipeline through the Baltic Sea resumed.
But there are also other voices: Former SPD chairman Martin Schulz, for example, rejects punitive measures.
"To this day I have not seen any sanctions that would have forced Vladimir Putin to give in," he told SPIEGEL.
Sanctions are sometimes necessary.
"But I am sure that in the Navalny case we will not achieve anything with sanctions."
Navalny was arrested in Moscow in mid-January immediately after his return from Germany and sentenced to 30 days in prison in an urgent procedure.
In Berlin, the Putin critic was treated after a poison attack for which he blames the Kremlin.
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