Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel was aware of Russia’s intention to reduce gas supply to blackmail Europe to speed up the Nord Stream 2 pipeline launch but concealed the information, German media outlet Handelsblatt reported on June 6, citing classified documents it had obtained. The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea were built to supply natural gas from Russia to Europe. Russia aimed to accelerate the introduction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline into service without German authorities’ certification by causing a gas deficit in Europe,Handelsblatt said, referring to a 2021 do…
