The German government coordinator for transatlantic cooperation, Peter Beyer, on Monday expressed the hope that the construction of Nord Stream 2 will be completed in the second half of 2020, TASS reported.

"In a response given Monday, Germany's Coordinator for Transatlantic Cooperation Peter Beyer said countertariffs are not the solution. Escalating the conflict would be inappropriate, the coordinator told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, saying it should instead be solved through political means," the source noted.

US sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream gas pipelines entered into force on December 20.