Autor. PBS
The French president revealed the backstage of talks with the former German chancellor, the aim of which was to withdraw Paris’s opposition to Nord Stream 2 in exchange for Berlin’s acceptance of the development of nuclear energy in Europe.
French President Emmanuel Macron gave an interview to The Economist magazine, in which he shared his reflections on the European Union. The host of the Elysée Palace also revealed some details about the cuisine of European politics. One of them concerned relations with Germany regarding the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
“In 2018, I was not a supporter of Nord Stream 2. I told the chancellor so [wówczas Angeli Merkel] and we concluded something like an agreement under which I will stop blocking Nord Stream 2, and she will not block nuclear energy,” Macron said.
It is worth recalling that at the beginning of 2019, France voted against the Nord Stream 2 project, signaling its willingness to vote for a rigorous form of amendment to the so-called gas directive. Then – on February 6, 2019 – a meeting between Secretary Mike Pompeo and French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian took place. The meeting’s agenda included issues such as “the fight against Russian destabilization activities” and “regional energy security.” However, over time, Paris withdrew from its declarations and supported, among others, Berlin weakened the amendment formula, which was more favorable to the Nord Stream 2 under-Baltic gas pipeline under construction at that time.
The information disclosed by Macron may therefore shed completely new light on the course of the above negotiations.