Germany has put a halt to the certification of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline in response to Russia’s recognition of the two breakaway regions in the Ukrainian Donbas and announced that it would revaluate the procedure.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Russia’s “breach of all agreements under international law that Russia has explicitly entered into over the last 50 years, especially the Helsinki Final Act,” Scholz said at a press conference on Tuesday (22 February).

While Germany has focused on a diplomatic approach to defuse the tense situation, Scholz stressed that the “situation today is fundamentally different.”“And therefore, in view of the latest developments, we must reassess this situation, also with regard to Nord Stream 2,” Scholz emphasised.

Germany would withdraw the existing report on the security of the supply, which is the necessary administrative step “to ensure that the pipeline cannot be certified. And without this certification, Nord Stream 2 cannot go into operation at all,” Scholz said.

Guest post from EurActiv