By any scientific means, the state of Germany counts to have been occupied by the US, with the US ambassadors backed by US Army boots on the grounds giving orders to Berlin, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson says in an interview with Russia Today.

In an exclusive interview with RT on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the US continues to "occupy" Germany by any scientific standard, while America's NATO allies have surrendered all their sovereignty to Washington and aren't allowed to have a say on issues like Nord Stream 2.

During German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Washington on Monday, Zakharova commented on US President Joe Biden's remarks about "shutting down" the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, pointing out that Berlin remains under Washington's control even after the Cold War ended.

“Germany, according to a number of relevant characteristics – this is neither mine nor Russia’s opinion, this is according to politological terms and metrics – remains, one way or another, an occupied state: 30,000 of American [troops] are stationed there,” she told RT.

Zakharova added that “American ambassadors to Germany, who are supposed to work there to improve bilateral relations, are giving orders to German officials.” Richard Grenell, who was the US ambassador to Berlin during the Trump presidency, was “giving them orders literally every day on what to do on issues such as Nord Stream 2.”

The US treats Germany as if it were "just a protectorate," according to Zakharova, who added that this doesn't just come in the form of financial threats, but is "supported up by 30,000 American boots on the ground."

It's an issue for Germany to answer why Berlin allows itself to be treated this way, but "the truth is that it's not a partnership of equals," Zakharova added.

She said that Washington's attempts to prevent Berlin from purchasing Russian natural gas through the Nord Stream 2 project demonstrate a blatant disregard for German interests.

“What kind of talk is that? What free market are you talking about? Or the liberal economy, or the WTO?” she asked, noting that this is literally using energy as political leverage – exactly what the US accused Russia of wanting to do.