London (dpa) – After shocking his allies with claims that Germany is under Russia’s thumb, US President Donald Trump doubled down on his criticism of Berlin on Friday for entering into a “horrific” pipeline deal with Moscow.
“To me, it is a tragedy, I think it’s a horrific thing that’s being done,” Trump said of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, which will supply Germany with Russian natural gas.
“How can you be working for peace and working from strength when someone has that kind of power over your country?” the president asked, speaking alongside British Prime Minister Theresa May after the two leaders held talks at her Chequers residence outside London.
Trump said at a NATO summit in Brussels on Wednesday that Germany is “a captive of Russia” due to Nord Stream 2.
On Friday, he repeated his claim that Germany will rely on Russia for up to 70 per cent of its energy.
The German government has already rejected this claim. According to the country’s NATO delegation, Germany currently relies on Russia for 23 per cent of its energy consumption.
Standing alongside Trump, May reserved judgement on Nord Stream 2, saying that Britain would discuss the issue at the EU level “while we continue to sit around the EU table.”
Britain is set to leave the European Union next year.
