Betrayal along central Europe axis - France to vote against?

According to the German broadcaster, after fierce US messages, an important vote in the European Union is up on Friday.

The agency quotes German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, that writes the French government allegedly wants to backtrack on its support to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, because the project is a "strategic problem" in tense relations with Moscow.

In today's vote, which will decide on the future of this controversial gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, France intends to vote against the project, according to the German newspaper.

"We do not want to increase dependence on Russia and thus harm the interests of EU countries such as Poland and Slovakia" - this is reportedly the message out of Paris.

So far, the French government has not confirmed these claims, and neither has the government in Berlin responded. For now, it is only known that French President Emmanuel Macron has canceled his participation in the Munich Security Conference, where he was scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel next week.

Until now, Berlin could, despite all opposition, count on French support for this large, controversial project. If France is now really changing its position, the opponents of the gas pipeline could achieve superiority within the EU, leaving Germany alone, Deutsche Welle writes.