What caused France's volatile position on Nord Stream 2

5

Given the recent statement French leader Emmanuel Macron, Paris began its strategic game with Berlin, and the Nord Stream 2 gas transmission project has a major role to play in this matter. Experts from Poland share this opinion.

For example, energy specialist Agata Loskot-Strakhota from the Center for Eastern Studies analytical organization, which makes forecasts for the Polish government, believes that Nord Stream 2 is a kind of instrument for France in the process of sorting out relations with Germany. This, in her opinion, is the reason for the volatile position of Paris on the pipeline.



France needs less Russian gas than other European countries

She specified.

The analyst explained that there are big disagreements in the energy sector in the European Union and France is using this to its advantage. She explained that Great Britain, Poland, Slovakia and the Baltic countries are categorically against the completion of Nord Stream 2, they worry that Russia will receive serious advantages, and diversification and energy security will be violated. They are also worried about the decline in the role of the Eastern European countries, due to the possible termination of transit through Ukraine.

Therefore, they are convinced supporters of reducing dependence on the Russian Federation and opponents of normalizing relations with Moscow.

She emphasized.

The expert added that France does not take a clear position on Nord Stream 2. Paris has its own nuclear power plants and gas suppliers from Africa.

In turn, an industry analyst at the Polish Institute of International Relations Bartosz Belischuk noted that France is wary of Nord Stream 2 and does not support it as unconditionally as Germany. He recalled that Total has invested in a Russian LNG project in the Arctic.

The French President calls for closer cooperation with Russia and invests in an LNG project. This demonstrates that Paris has a much more flexible position that it can use as a bargaining chip in bargaining with Berlin.

- summed up the Pole.
5 comments
Information
Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
  1. Dear sofa expert.
    Dear sofa expert.
    +1
    21 February 2021 14: 37
    Everything in the article is said correctly.
    France has no personal interest in the SP-2 project, for that there is a good opportunity for Macron to gain a cheap authority for himself by expressing his “own, principled, political position”.
    1. _AMUHb_
      _AMUHb_
      0
      21 February 2021 15: 45
      dear I would like to clarify the cheap in terms of acquisition or the final cost?
      1. Dear sofa expert.
        Dear sofa expert.
        +3
        21 February 2021 21: 33
        dear I would like to clarify the cheap in terms of acquisition or the final cost?

        Cheap, it is cheap in Africa too. Inexpensively purchased. It is easy to have your own opinion on principle when, in principle, you are not risking anything of your own. It is not the first time that Macron has tried to earn political authority for himself at the expense of others.
        1. _AMUHb_
          _AMUHb_
          0
          22 February 2021 00: 47
          thank! cheap show-off, if it's shorter)) yes, I already "see" contradictory acquisitions from this, and after all, the "winner" country is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a nuclear power ... registered it, it means a mistake), tell me: that “we go there” (to Europe) always “climb” (liberate the ungrateful, bear losses) so many centuries already?
          maybe there is a fountain of what kind of "fabulous energy" from the earth really beats? ... if your opinion does not complicate
          1. Dear sofa expert.
            Dear sofa expert.
            +2
            22 February 2021 01: 50
            but the country "winner" is a permanent member of the UN Security Council,

            Immediately, for some reason, I remembered Keitel's famous phrase.)
            Well, it doesn't matter.

            that “we go there” (to Europe) always “climb” (liberate the ungrateful, incur losses) for so many centuries already?
            maybe there is a fountain of what kind of "fabulous energy" from the earth really beats?

            The question is actually not that simple.)
            Rather, there should be two of them:

            1) Why does Russia love Europe?

            Because Russia, in fact, is real, it simply does not know. Europe is a world of facades. The facade is always beautiful. Russia is always shown only this facade. The backyard is visible only to those who live there. Europeans know Europe from the inside: not made up, with not brushed teeth, and not shaved armpits, therefore, they themselves, do not love it as we love it.

            2) Why are we climbing, freeing ...

            Well, this is probably what everyone calls the "mysterious Russian soul"?)

            Let's remember how Lomonosov spoke about Russian: it combines the liveliness of the French, the strength of the German, the greatness of the Spanish, etc. Probably these qualities: generosity, generosity in certain situations, and the willingness to sacrifice oneself - the philosopher Batishchev had the concept of “other dominance” - an emphasis on another person, that is, I must try to please a friend.

            https://govoritmoskva.ru/news/244119/