Tensions deepened between Germany and Russia over the alleged poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny with Germany threatening sanctions and Russia accusing Berlin of delaying the investigation it demanded. The Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption campaigner fell ill on a flight last month and was treated in a Siberian hospital before being evacuated to Berlin.
Germany claims that the opposition leader has been poisoned using the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. Germany, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), will discuss possible sanctions against Russia if it fails to provide an explanation.
On the subject of which sanctions could be discussed by the EU, Maas did not rule out action relating to Nord Stream 2, a multi-billion-euro Russian-German gas pipeline nearing completion that has drawn the ire of US and European partners alike.
Novichok is the Russian word for "newcomer" and applies to a group of advanced nerve agents developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s, under a program codenamed Foliant.
It is said to be named after a Czechoslovakian scientist, who was involved in the development of the agents.
The agent was originally designed to circumvent chemical weapons treaties as well as being highly lethal, easy to produce, and extremely persistent.
Nerve agents act by blocking messages from the nerves to the muscles, causing a collapse of many bodily functions.
The main nerve agents are the chemicals sarin (GB), soman (GD), tabun (GA) and VX. Sarin was used by Syrian air force in chemical attacks on a village in Syria's western Hama region in 2017.
Nord Stream 2 is a nearly constructed 1,200-kilometre pipeline from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. Finnish and German authorities have given permits for the construction of Nord Stream 2 in their exclusive economic zones.
Nord Stream 2 will run alongside the already constructed Nord Stream and will double the amount of gas being funnelled through the Baltics to 110 billion cubic meters per year.
Nord Stream 2 is a subsea pipeline for the transportation of natural gas from Russia to the EU across the Baltic Sea. The purpose of this project is to provide Europe with a sustainable gas supply while providing Russia with more direct access to the European gas market.
It will provide consumers in the EU and Germany with increased security of supply and reliable, competitively-priced natural gas for decades to come. The project includes two parallel lines along the same route as Nord Stream 1. One line will carry natural gas from Russia to Germany, the other will bring gas from the North Sea to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.
