Moscow/Donetsk: On Feb 22, Russia’s parliament approved pacts with two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine. The move might open the way for an immediate Russian troop deployment despite the risk of Western sanctions including the blocking of a major new pipeline. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz put the certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany on ice, a measure widely considered the toughest Europe is likely to take against Moscow at this stage. “We must reassess the situation, in particular regarding Nord Stream 2,” Scholz told a news conference.
