Targeting NS2 is significant as a sign that Germany is fed up with Russia. That's why it matters. The energy implications are trivial—killing NS2 does little to improve European energy security. But the willingness to hit NS2 shows that Germany believes Russia crossed a line.
The idea that NS2 would rewrite the energy map of Europe was always far fetched—a talking point that gained potency through repetition, not truth. Let's not pretend that European energy security is stronger as a result of NS2 dying (if this is, in fact, death). It isn't.
Europe's energy security agenda remains the same with or without Nord Stream 2. Diversification of supply, ensuring infrastructure redundancy, stronger regulation of markets, a real strategy for seasonal balancing, faster decarbonization—none of those things rest on NS2.
If Germany hits Nord Stream 2, it will need additional measures to escalate if Russia escalates. The best avenue to inflict additional pain on Russia is to target its role in the new energy economy—to avoid a new Ostpolitik in clean energy. For more: euractiv.com/section/energy…
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
