The CEO of Shell, one of the companies participating in the joint Nord Stream 2 project, has announced that if the US introduces sanctions against the project, the company would have to consider leaving it.
Reacting to this move, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Moscow "would implement the project on its own."
On September 18, US President Trump had ruled out sanctions against companies taking part in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. However, while addressing the UN General Assembly, he slammed Germany over its gas imports from Russia. The US president said that Germany would "become totally dependent on Russian energy" if the country didn't change its course.
READ MORE: Turkstream, Nord Stream 2 Vital for EU to Meet Growing Gas Demand — Gazprom
His allegations drew criticism from the country's Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, who said Trump's "arguments and facts proving them don't correspond to reality. There's no German dependence on Russia; this is especially a factor in the energy field."
Meanwhile, some analysts have speculated that Washington would eventually slap sanctions on companies active in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, despite Donald Trump's denial.
READ MORE: US to Introduce Sanctions Against Nord Stream 2 Project — German Official
The project, led by Russia's state-owned energy company Gazprom, is designed to carry Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, bypassing established routes through Ukraine.