Fortuna, the Russian pipe-laying vessel, has successfully completed the 2,6-km section of the Nord Stream 2 subsea gas pipeline in German territorial waters and is traveling to the Hanseatic German port of Wismar. The parent Nord Stream AG in Zug, Switzerland, said the ship will resume construction of the pipeline in Danish territorial waters by mid January.

A current high official of the Trump administration said the Nord Stream AG is making a terribly big deal over the construction of a mere 2.6-km.  "It concerns the construction of an underwater pipeline that will never be built," adding that if Nord Stream 2 AG were truly interested in completing the project it would have been long finished by now. Moreover, the official said, it is by no means clear which company will step up and insure the remaining construction of the pipeline.

The Trump administration has long argued that it would be a mistake to complete the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, as it will make Europe too dependent on gas from Russia.  The view has surprising bi-partisan support among both houses of congress and incoming president Joe Biden has also expressed his reservations on the pipeline.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas declared over the weekend that the German position to Nord Stream 2 has not changed and pointedly noted that it does little good to talk about German sovereignty if all we do is follow the will of the United States.