Russia’s gas giant Gazprom plans to commission the controversial natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 this year, Russian news agency TASS reported on Thursday, quoting a presentation of a Gazprom executive at an energy forum in Russia. Last month, Gazprom was said to have warned investors that the Nord Stream 2 project could be suspended or entirely discontinued due to extraordinary circumstances, including “political pressure.” Germany has always looked at the Russia-led project from an economic standpoint, while the United States, several European countries, including the Baltic states, Poland, and the European Union (EU), have expressed concern about Russia using gas sales and its gas monopoly Gazprom as a political tool. Over the past months, the U.S. has been broadening the sanctions against service providers and those funding vessels involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 in a fresh attempt to prevent the project from completing. There is […]