30/10/2019 (Agence Europe) – By authorising the construction of a section of Nord Stream 2 in its waters on Wednesday 30 October, Denmark has removed the last obstacle to the completion of the gas pipeline. Nord Stream 2 is intended to supply Russian gas to Europe by connecting the Russian coastline to Germany via the Baltic Sea and is controversial. On the one hand, some EU countries (Poland, Lithuania, Latvia), as well as the United States – which would prefer that Europe favour American liquefied natural gas over Russian gas – are opposed to the project on the grounds that it could increase the EU's energy dependence on Russia. On the other hand, its supporters, led by Germany, argue that the project is an economic asset to ensure the sustainability of gas supplies to Europe at an acceptable cost. Nord Stream 2 is expected to be operational by the end of 2019. (DG)