Nord Stream 2

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline project is clearly showing itself to be one of the most polarizing issues in European political circles, and demonstrates in a very clear manner how foreign policy is perceived by European states. Some are able to forego certain aspects of their political hostility towards Russia in areas where insisting upon it would result in considerable damage to their own economic outlook, where others persist in their political russophobia regardless of the consequences.

Russian media reports that the Vice President of the European Commission for Energy is promising a retaliation if the US issues sanctions against European energy corporations over participation in the Nord Stream 2 project.
Sputnik reports:

(ZHE) — It became clear just how important it is to the US for Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project to fail two months ago when, as we described in “US Threatens Sanctions For European Firms Participating In Russian Gas Pipeline Project“, the U.S. State Department warned European corporations that they will likely face penalties and […]

Nord Stream 2 has received all the necessary permits in Germany to move forward, but that has not stopped some European countries from moving to block the construction of the pipeline.
Dominik Ristori, head of the European Commission’s energy department said…

“We believe that the Nord Stream 2 does not encourage the diversification of gas supply. That is why if the pipeline is built it will not be supported by the EU and the European Commission, in particular.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel remains Chancellor of Germany after a vote by the SPD’s grassroots gave the SPD’s leadership the mandate it needed to continue its “grand coalition’ with her.
The majority of 66% for the “grand coalition” amongst SPD members was decisive.
I have written previously how this is the worst possible result for Germany, perpetuating a “grand coalition” government which in the September parliamentary elections visibly lost support, and which is unwanted by the German public.

News that the Republicans and the Democrats in the House of Representatives have agreed on a new sanctions package against Russia will be deeply unwelcome news, and not just or even primarily in Moscow.

Confirmation that the EU Commission has dropped its opposition to Nord Stream 2 – the giant gas pipeline Russia is building through the Baltic to supply natural gas directly to Germany – effectively ends whatever doubts previously existed about the project.
More importantly, it also means Russia has won the energy war, which has been raging around the issue of Russian gas supplies to Europe over the last decade and a half.