Russia do not want to be a monopoly with gas supplies to Europe: Novak

Nord Stream 2 | Axel Schmidt

Nord Stream 2 pipes are loaded onto a vessel in the northern German port of Mukran for transshipment to a storage yard.

President Donald Trump has previously expressed his disapproval for Nord Stream 2, warning Western companies investing in the pipeline that they are at risk of being hit with U.S. sanctions.

“The consumer should have a right to choose, to choose the country that supplies the gas and the routes of supplies and they have to be competitive,” Novak said, before adding Europe is clearly keen to buy even more gas from Russia despite heightened pressure from the Trump administration.

Moscow’s ability to shut off natural gas supplies, which it has done during past pricing disputes, is a long-standing concern for several European states.