OREANDA-NEWS. German Ambassador to Russia Geza Andreas von Geyr said that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline should be launched no later than the first quarter of 2021. The diplomat claimed this during a meeting with students of the Ural Federal University.

According to the diplomat, he named such terms, based on a conversation with the head of the state corporation Gazprom Alexey Miller. “Its launch should take place at the end of 2020 or at the latest in the first quarter of 2021,” the Ambassador said.

After imposing US sanctions against the pipeline in December 2019, Miller declared that Russia will be able to complete the Nord Stream-2 by its own means, without involving foreign contractors. However, Gazprom Chairman of Board acknowledged that it would take more time. Russian President Vladimir Putin named the same deadline for the launch of Nord Stream 2: the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021.