“It’s worth noting that gas is not yet flowing through Nord Stream 2, which means the pipeline is a lever for Germany, the United States and our allies, not Russia,” Blinken said.
This is undoubtedly something that Moscow is considering as a next step, he added, “especially in light of the strong statements made by countries about the serious consequences for Russia if it decides to step up further aggression against Ukraine.”
“So we’re at a crucial moment,” he added.
Blinken has arrived in Germany from Ukraine, where he met with the country’s leaders. Blinken’s talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are scheduled for tomorrow in Geneva.
Russia has concentrated a troop of 100,000 men on Ukraine’s borders, raising concerns about a new invasion of a neighboring country.
In December, Moscow issued an ultimatum to the West demanding a halt to NATO’s further expansion to the east and the dismantling of the Alliance’s infrastructure in the so-called new member states, restoring the status quo on 27 May 1997, before NATO’s first enlargement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened that if Moscow does not receive the “security guarantees” he has demanded, he will have to take “military technical measures”.
The United States and other NATO members have stated that these demands are unacceptable and not even negotiable, but have shown readiness to talk about arms control, missile deployment and confidence-building measures.
