VILNIUS, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Russia's Nord Stream 2 and
TurkStream natural gas pipeline projects threaten to increase
Moscow's political influence in Europe and leave it vulnerable
to supply disruptions, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on
Monday.
Speaking at a conference in Vilnius, Perry said the past
disruption of Russian gas supply to Europe "is the key reason
why President Trump and I continue to oppose the Nord Stream 2
pipeline construction project."
"Nord Stream 2 is designed to drive the single source gas
artery deep into Europe, and a stake through the heart of
European stability and security," Perry said.
"It would increase Russia's leverage over Europe's foreign
policy and Europe's vulnerability to a supply disruption.
"Along with the TurkStream pipeline it would enable Moscow
to end gas transit through Ukraine by the close of the decade,"
he said.
The Nord Stream 2 would double the capacity of the existing
Nord Stream pipeline from Russia to Germany to 110 billion cubic
metres a year and allow Russia to bypass Ukraine, currently its
main transit route for European sales.
Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Denmark on Wednesday
to ignore U.S. pressure and "show it has sovereignty" by
allowing Nord Stream 2 to go through its territory.
Led by Russian gas producer Gazprom, the project
is also backed by Germany's Uniper and BASF's
Wintershall, Shell, Austria's OMV
and Engie of France.
(Reporting by Andrius Sytas; editing by Jason Neely)
