US, Germany on Brink of Diplomatic Crisis

By Hassan El-Khawaga

BERLIN, Jan. 15 (SEE) - It seems that the United States and Germany are on the brink of a new crisis after controversial statements by a senior US diplomat.

On Sunday, US Ambassador in Berlin Richard Grenell warned, in a letter, the German companies that are partaking in the setting up in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project of "a significant risk of sanctions" if they don't withdraw from the project.

Meanwhile, Joseph Giordono-Schultz, the spokesman of the US Embassy in Berlin, said on Monday "The U.S. Government has been clear that we agree with the European Parliament, the U.S. House and nearly 20 European countries in opposition to the Russian Nord Stream 2 project."

He stated that "companies are free to work on [Nord Stream 2], and we are free to make clear that working on it could disqualify them from also working on U.S. projects," pointing out that the ambassador's letter wasn't a threat against the German companies.

The US administration, under its President Donald Trump, is fear of Russia's tight control over the European supply through its gas.

The German respond came very quickly on different levels. German Foreign Minister Haiko Mass spokeswoman said that Germany would "discuss the issues openly, professionally, and directly," with the US.

While Party leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer described the US ambassador's statements as "unusual diplomatic matter."

The large pipeline is set to deliver gas from northwestern Russia to northern Germany under the Baltic Sea, a matter which is supposed to increase the German gas imports.

Russia hits back at the US words, as Russian Foreign Ministry's official spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: "Of course, this is unacceptable. This is not part of the ambassador's responsibilities, to say the least. In fact, it contradicts them."

"There is a big program on deterring our country, which has been historically implemented," Zakharova added.

Earlier in September, Trump accused Germany of being “totally dependent on Russian energy if it does not immediately change course” on its energy policy.