Germany defends Russian gas link despite Ukraine tensions

FILE PHOTO: German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas delivers his statement, during the Geneva Conference on Afghanistan, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, November 28, 2018. Salvatore Di Nolfi/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's foreign minister on Monday warned against pulling out of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline with Russia, as some lawmakers suggested using the project to punish Moscow for its seizure of Ukrainian ships and their crew off the coast of Crimea.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, a candidate to replace Chancellor Angela Merkel at the helm of her Christian Democrat party, said on Sunday one option might be to reduce the amount of gas that will flow through the pipeline from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.