Germany signals it could halt gas pipeline if Russia invades Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg and German Chancellor Scholz attend a news conference, in Berlin
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a news conference after their talks at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke/Pool

By Sabine Siebold and Susan Heavey

BERLIN/WASHINGTON – Germany signaled on Tuesday that it could halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia if Moscow invades Ukraine, and Western nations rallied behind Kyiv over a Russian troop buildup that has stoked fears of war.