• Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's CDU, pledges to prevent Nord Stream 2's revival.
  • Danish authorities approved maintenance works on the damaged pipeline in early 2025.
  • Political tensions persist despite economic incentives for reopening the Russian gas link.

Merz Draws Line on Nord Stream 2

Friedrich Merz, chairman of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has declared his party will "do everything" to ensure the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline remains shuttered. The firm stance comes as Denmark granted operator Nord Stream 2 AG permission this year to conduct maintenance on the Baltic Sea infrastructure.

"We cannot return to energy dependence on Russia," Merz told reporters in Berlin, framing the issue as both an economic security matter and a moral imperative following Russia's actions in Ukraine. The opposition leader's comments carry weight as polls show the CDU gaining ground ahead of Germany's next federal election.

Technical Repairs Gain Traction

Recent developments suggest the pipeline could be made operational again. Danish regulators approved plans to seal leaking sections of Pipe A, which still contains approximately 9 million cubic meters of gas. Pipe B remains pressurized at 54 bar despite being offline since the September 2022 sabotage attacks.

Engineers estimate repairs could take several months using techniques ranging from segment replacement to specialized clamping. Russia's state energy giant Gazprom previously pegged repair costs at around $500 million - a figure some analysts now consider conservative given inflation in specialized marine construction.

Geopolitical Fault Lines

The pipeline debate exposes continuing divisions within Europe about managing relations with Moscow. While some Eastern European nations vehemently oppose any revival of Russian gas imports, German industrial groups have quietly lobbied for reconsideration as energy costs weigh on competitiveness.

A recent Carnegie Endowment analysis noted Europe's theoretical capacity to meet gas demand through alternative sources, but acknowledged this would come at significant cost premiums. Nord Stream 2 AG's own projections suggested the pipeline could meet 37% of incremental European import needs.

Attempts to reach Merz for additional comment were unsuccessful. A spokesperson for Germany's economics ministry declined to speculate on hypothetical scenarios regarding the pipeline's future.