The construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is set to be completed on Aug. 23, the day before Ukraine will celebrate its 30th anniversary of independence, Deutche Welle reports.
The pipeline under the Baltic Sea will let Russia send gas directly to Germany and other European countries without going through Ukraine. The country may lose billions of dollars in transit revenues as a result.
The $11 billion project began in 2015. Despite strong opposition from Ukraine and diplomatic pressure on the U.S. and Germany to shut it down, U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration recently agreed to waive sanctions against the consortium building the pipeline. This all but ensured that the project would be built.
According to Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, Russia will use the pipeline to blackmail Ukraine and Central European countries.
Russia and Ukraine currently have a five-year agreement through 2024 that guarantees Russia will transport no less than 40 billion cubic meters through Ukraine each year and must pay Ukraine at least $7.2 billion until 2024.
Germany, a top proponent of the project, promised to ensure that gas continues to flow through Ukraine in the future.
