Von der Leyen counters Putin: Pipeline not even certified

Created: 07/20/2022, 14:19

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.

© Jean-Francois Badias/AP/dpa/archive image

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's considerations about the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

"I want to be very clear here: Nord Stream 2 is not even certified and not at all ready for use," said the German politician in Brussels on Wednesday.

Brussels - Kremlin chief Putin had previously warned Europe against a further reduction in Russian gas supplies.

If Russia does not get back a turbine for the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline repaired in Canada, the daily throughput capacity of the pipeline threatens to fall again significantly at the end of July, Putin said on Wednesday night, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.

At the same time he said: "We still have a finished route - that's Nord Stream 2. We can put it into operation."

With regard to the turbine, von der Leyen now emphasized that it was already on its way back from Canada.

"There is no excuse not to deliver gas." dpa