{"id":1064304,"date":"2021-11-29T10:58:30","date_gmt":"2021-11-29T15:58:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1064304"},"modified":"2021-11-29T10:58:46","modified_gmt":"2021-11-29T15:58:46","slug":"trump-vindicated-nord-stream-2-pipeline-deal-was-merkels-biggest-mistake-says-former-eu-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-vindicated-nord-stream-2-pipeline-deal-was-merkels-biggest-mistake-says-former-eu-chief\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Vindicated: Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Deal Was Merkel\u2019s \u2018Biggest Mistake\u2019, Says Former EU Chief"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-vindicated-nord-stream-2-pipeline-deal-was-merkels-biggest-mistake-says-former-eu-chief%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1064304&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/GettyImages-952162774-640x335-1.png\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p class=\"subheading\">The approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia is outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s \u201cbiggest mistake\u201d, the former president of the EU Council said in comments backing up warnings from former President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p>In a press conference on Sunday, former&nbsp;<span data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjkwpOTsr30AhVVh_0HHVdjA5gQ2kooAnoECDYQDA\">President of the European Council Donald Tusk said that Angela Merkel was \u201chelpless\u201d in the face of lobbying efforts from German industry to approve the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is set to deliver gas to Germany from Russia in a pipeline along the bottom of the Baltic sea.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cAs Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel was helpless in the face of the lobbying force of domestic entrepreneurs,\u201d Tusk said, claiming that the outgoing leader of Germany \u201cadmitted\u201d as much in past conversations with him.<\/p>\n<p>The former Polish prime minister \u2014 now the leader of the opposition \u2014 went on to say that Merkel\u2019s willingness to become dependent on Russian gas will go down as one of her \u201cbiggest mistakes,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pap.pl\/aktualnosci\/news,1012883,donald-tusk-nord-stream-2-najwiekszy-blad-angeli-merkel.html\">according<\/a> to the&nbsp;Polish news outlet PAP.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom the point of view of the interests of the European Union, Nord Stream 2 is a bad project,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>Current Polish Prime Minister&nbsp;Mateusz Morawiecki has also taken aim at the project calling on the incoming coalition government in Germany to do \u201ceverything possible not to allow Nord Stream 2 to be an instrument in the arsenal of President Putin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNord Stream 2 is becoming a tool to blackmail Ukraine and Moldova. It is also a tool for the manipulation of energy prices,\u201d Morawiecki <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dpa-international.com\/topic\/polish-prime-minister-morawiecki-open-door-policy-migration-urn%3Anewsml%3Adpa.com%3A20090101%3A211128-99-172449\">said<\/a>&nbsp;on Sunday.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"6.8198757763975\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Captives of Russia: European Energy Prices Soar as Putin Holds Back Gas Supplies <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HPddwWFyil\">https:\/\/t.co\/HPddwWFyil<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreitbartLondon\/status\/1457799836259033091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 8, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Former President Donald Trump was also heavily critical of Merkel\u2019s decision during his time in office, warning that it would result in Germany and other European nations becoming&nbsp;<span data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjkwpOTsr30AhVVh_0HHVdjA5gQ2kooAnoECDYQDA\">\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/europe\/2018\/07\/11\/trump-starts-nato-summit-on-front-foot-blasts-hypocritical-germany-as-captive-of-russians\/\">captive<\/a>\u201d to the political whims of Russia\u2019s Vladimir Putin, who has previously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/\">used<\/a> gas supplies as a means of pressuring foreign capitals.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Mr Trump also highlighted that former&nbsp;Merkel\u2019s predecessor, Gerhard Schr\u00f6der \u2014 who initially approved the pipeline \u2014 has gone on to become one of the top executives for the firm which constructed Nord Stream 2.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The central critique from the former American leader, however, was that Germany \u2014 which has consistently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nato.int\/nato_static_fl2014\/assets\/pdf\/pdf_2019_11\/20191129_pr-2019-123-en.pdf\">failed<\/a> to meet its NATO spending obligations \u2014 benefits from American military protection from Russia, while in turn enriching the petrol-state through purchasing its gas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is very sad when Germany makes a massive oil and gas deal with Russia, where we\u2019re supposed to be guarding against Russia, and Germany goes and pays out billions and billions of dollars a year to Russia. We\u2019re protecting Germany, we\u2019re protecting France, we\u2019re protecting all of these countries,\u201d&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/europe\/2018\/07\/11\/trump-starts-nato-summit-on-front-foot-blasts-hypocritical-germany-as-captive-of-russians\/\">said<\/a>&nbsp;in 2018.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"6.1910828025478\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Biden: Blocking Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Would Be \u2018Counterproductive\u2018 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vxtNYXPMUg\">https:\/\/t.co\/vxtNYXPMUg<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreitbartNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BreitbartNews<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joelpollak\/status\/1397384919328776192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 26, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In stark contrast to the Trump administration, President Joe Biden said that he would not sanction the pipeline, claiming that it would be \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2021\/05\/25\/joe-biden-blocking-russias-nord-stream-2-pipeline-would-be-counterproductive-with-europe\/\">counterproductive<\/a>\u201d to diplomatic relations with Europe. In July, Merkel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-us-strike-nord-stream-2-compromise-deal\/a-58575935\">secured a deal<\/a> from Biden to waive existing sanctions on the project in return for green energy spending in Ukraine \u2014 one of the countries being sidestepped by the pipeline.<\/p>\n<p>In the agreement, the United States maintained the right to impose sanctions should it be determined that Russia was using the pipeline to exert political pressure.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>Republicans in the US Senate are currently trying to force through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/nord-stream-2-us-republicans-urge-sanctions\/a-59761267\">new sanctions<\/a> on the pipeline, in an amendment to the annual defence spending bill \u2014 a vote on which is expected this week.<\/p>\n<p>According to leaked documents <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/germany-nord-stream-sanctions-congress-ukraine-4d28940b-dc3b-4b19-9d16-c122da6d113c.html\">obtained<\/a> by Axios, German officials have attempted to dissuade the senators, claiming that such a move would&nbsp;\u201cweaken\u201d America\u2019s standing in the world and \u201cultimately damage transatlantic unity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this month,&nbsp;Germany\u2019s energy regulator, the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2021\/11\/16\/german-energy-regulator-suspends-nord-stream-2-certification.html\">announced<\/a> that it would suspend the approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, claiming that the company would need to open a physical office in Germany to meet its legal obligations.<\/p>\n<p>Some have&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/europe\/2021\/11\/08\/european-energy-prices-soar-as-putin-holds-back-gas-supplies\/\">accused<\/a>&nbsp;Russia of holding back increases in gas supplies during the recent energy crunch throughout Europe, however, Mr Putin has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/asia\/2021\/10\/15\/putin-accuses-cnbc-of-dismissing-his-statement-about-gas-pipeline\/\">denied<\/a> that he is using energy as a means of political pressure.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KurtZindulka\">@KurtZindulka<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The approval of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia is outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel\u2019s \u201cbiggest mistake\u201d, the former president of the EU Council said in comments backing up &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1064304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1064304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1064304"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1064304\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1064304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1064304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1064304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}