Germany Wobbles on Russian Gas Pipeline as Trump Pressure Starts to Bite
- Merkel coalition lawmakers become more critical of Nord Stream
- Mood shift may place pressure on government to shift stance
A section of gas pipeline passes through forested land in Ivano-Frankvisk, Ukraine.
Photographer: Vincent Mundy/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Support in German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition for a major new Russian gas pipeline is slipping as frustration with the Kremlin’s brinkmanship grows and pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump starts to bite.
Nord Stream 2, an $11 billion project that will double the natural gas supply under the Baltic Sea to Germany, faces growing skepticism among German officials who had previously defended it against criticism from Trump and some European Union allies, according to senior lawmakers. The shift could translate into pressure on Merkel’s government to back down on the controversial pipeline and possibly delay its implementation.