MOSCOW, Sept 8 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Tuesday said there was no need for political discussions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, describing it as a largely commercial international project, the Interfax news agency reported.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has not ruled out imposing sanctions on the project in the wake of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny's suspected poisoning last month.

Nord Stream 2 is set to double the capacity of the existing Nord Stream 1 pipeline in carrying gas directly from Russia to Germany. It is more than 90% finished and due to operate from early 2021. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova and Alexander Marrow; editing by David Evans)