Germany Chooses to Side with the West Against Putin

After a period of hemming and hawing over Russia, Germany’s new Chancellor Olaf Scholz has decided to side with the west against Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine by halting the certification of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which connects Germany to Russian energy supplies. CNBC reports:

Germany on Tuesday halted the certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline designed to bring natural gas from Russia directly to Europe, after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized breakaway parts of eastern Ukraine and ordered troops into the region.

Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said that his country would not accept the recognition of the two self-proclaimed, pro-Russian separatist regions in the Donbas area of eastern Ukraine, and that Germany had to reassess the situation regarding Nord Stream 2.

“In light of the most recent developments we must reassess the situation in particular regarding Nord Stream 2,” Scholz said at a news conference.

Scholz said he’d asked the German Economy Ministry to take steps “to make sure that this pipeline cannot be certified at this point in time, and without this certification Nord Stream 2 cannot operate.”

“The appropriate departments of the Economy Ministry will make a new assessment of the security of our supply in light of what has changed in last few days,” he added.

Germany has been accused of failing to act decisively over the Russian threat to Ukraine but on Tuesday Scholz said Europe faced “difficult hours” ahead and added that “almost 80 years after the end of the Second World War, we might see a new war in Eastern Europe. It is our task to avert such a disaster and I call upon Russia once more to contribute their share.”