Russia condemns US calls for coalition against Nord Stream 2

Moscow, Sep 24 Russia condemns US calls for the creation of a coalition against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"We condemn calls for the creation of some kind of coalition against the pipeline, in which German and other companies have already invested billions of dollars," Zakharova told a news briefing on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Such statements, which were made by the US state secretary, only reflect the true intentions of Washington, which seeks to occupy the West European gas market by non-competitive means," she added.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday in an interview with German daily Bild that Washington is building a coalition to prevent the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

According to Zakharova, the United States uses an "entire arsenal of non-competitive struggle to push through its interests," putting the entire world economic model "under the fire of the US onslaught."

She said that Russia considers it unacceptable to use blackmail, threats and subversion to promote one's own goods and services.

Russian officials have repeatedly said that the United States has created obstacles to the construction of Russian gas pipelines to Europe in order to fill the European market with its own more expensive liquefied natural gas.

( With inputs from IANS )