08/09/2021 (Agence Europe) – The last section of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to link Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea has been welded, its operator Nord Stream 2 AG announced on Monday 6 September. The next step will be to connect the section of the pipeline from the German coast to the section coming from the Danish waters. After that, the pre-commissioning tests can begin, with the aim of bringing the pipeline into operation before the end of this year. On the EU side, the European Parliament has repeatedly called for the suspension of the project (see EUROPE 12708/5, 12563/33). In particular, the Parliament fears that the pipeline could become a geopolitical weapon for Moscow by further increasing the EU’s dependence on Russian gas. These fears are shared by some Member States such as Poland, which is particularly opposed to the project. (DG)