Trump Says Supports Axing Nord Stream 2 Over Navalny Incident

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th September, 2020) US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is in favor of Germany shutting down the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project over the incident with Russian blogger Alexey Navalny.

A number of German lawmakers and politicians, including those in the government, have made remarks on the possibility of shutting the German-Russian pipeline project if allegations of Russia's involvement in the Navalny incident are true or if Russia fails to account for what happened to the activist blogger.

"Sure. I've been supportive of that. I was the first one that brought it up," Trump told reporters when asked about the proposals.

Navalny fell ill during a domestic Russian flight on August 20. He was initially treated in the Siberian city of Omsk, where the plane made an emergency landing. Two days later, once the doctors established he was fit for a cross-border aerial transportation, the 44-year-old was flown to the Charite hospital for further treatment.

Last week, the German government said that doctors found traces of a nerve agent from the Novichok group in his system. Moscow responded by pointing out to the lack of evidence in Berlin's claims and noting that Russian doctors had found no toxic substances in Navalny. Within the context, Moscow sent requests for legal assistance and more information on Navalny's case. In response, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Berlin could share the information about Navalny, but it was a multistage process.