BERLIN: Germany aims to speak with the new US administration about the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as soon as it takes office, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Friday.

Nord Stream 2, designed to double capacity of the existing undersea Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, has become a point of contention between Moscow and Washington, with the United States seeking to cut Europe's reliance on Russian energy.

The group behind the pipeline suspended works in December 2019 due to the threat of sanctions from Washington.

Maas said, he welcomed the fact that the latest US sanctions decisions from December envisaged government consultations before the imposition of any further punitive measures.