United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday in a joint press conference with Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz that the US will do everything in its power to stop Russia’s plans to build the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe.

Pompeo said that the pipeline from Russia to Germany, on which construction began last year, would “funnel money” to Russia in a way that hurts Europe.

“So while there is certainly a commercial aspect to that kind of transaction, there is an enormous security risk that is attached to it,” Pompeo said.

Nord Stream 2 would be 1,200 km long and would double the capacity of an existing link between Russia and Germany. The pipeline would take Russian natural gas straight to Germany through the Baltic Sea, and no longer pass through Ukraine, which may lead to Ukraine being even more vulnerable in the region.

Countries have been divided in offering support, as France agrees with the project but Baltic states and Poland oppose it due to their history with Russia.

“We share the view that the Nord Stream 2 project does not serve Europe’s energy security, we consider it a failed project, even harmful to energy security on the continent,” the Polish Foreign Minister said.

Source: Agencies