On Tuesday, US Republican senators criticized the Biden administration for reports in the media that it would waive sanctions against the company behind the Russian-German Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, even though the US Secretary of State said to his German counterpart that Washington opposes this project.
Republicans have accused the Biden administration of giving Russian President Vladimir Putin a strategic advantage in Europe after press reports that Washington would drop sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG, the company that controls the pipeline. The media also noted that the sanctions already in force against Mathias Warnig, Putin's ally and CEO of the company, will be lifted.
“Two months ago, President Biden called Putin a“ killer, ”but today he plans to give Putin, his regime and his associates enormous strategic influence in Europe,” said Senator Ben Sasse.
Representative Michael McCall said any rejections would indicate that the Biden administration never planned to shut down the pipeline, despite Secretary of State Anthony Blinken telling Congress that the administration is opposed to doing so.
"If the Putin regime is allowed to complete this pipeline, it will be because the Biden administration has decided to let it happen," McCall said in a posting.
Today, in Washington, it is planned to impose sanctions on four ships and companies, which will delay the completion of the construction of Nord Stream 2. Specific organizations were not specified. It is expected that these measures will be included in the report of the US Department of State, the document can be submitted to Congress today, May 19.
On May 18, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held talks with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. During the conversation, Mr. Blinken reiterated that the United States opposes the gas pipeline project. Nord Stream 2 envisages the construction of a gas pipeline from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. It remains to lay about 120 km in Danish waters, and just over 30 km in German waters. It is planned to finish laying the pipeline by the end of September 2021.
