It is simply human nature to cling to hope even in any neutral news. This is true especially for jaded people when hopes for the better are fizzling out. The state of affairs with Nord Stream 2 confirms this idea.
Klaus Ernst, the chairman of the Bundestag Committee on Economics and Energy, has stated his viewpoint that it makes no sense to ban the gas pipeline project. Moreover, the German policymaker called on his colleagues to consider countermeasures in response to the latest sanctions imposed by the White House on the Mukran port, North Germany, as a landmark in the pipeline construction. "The Rubicon has been clearly crossed", Ernst commented on Washington’s decision. No wonder, this statement was given a standing ovation from the pro-Kremlin media. The thing is that one Parliament deputy questioned the American punitive measures against the Russia-backed project in one of his interviews. However, his viewpoint hardly echoes the official stance of Berlin. Nevertheless, Russia is clutching at straws. The Russian media gladly cited Klaus Ernst as saying on behalf of the whole Germany that Nord Stream 2 serves the interests of European countries and its ban would backfire if they agree to quit the project.
Meanwhile, Germany’s authorities announced that sanctions on Nord Stream 2 have been already on the table in light of the incident with Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. In fact, a lot of German policymakers appealed to Chancellor Angela Merkel to suspend the pipeline construction or even scrap the project.
