US prepares new sanctions to thwart Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline
The outgoing Trump administration is preparing a new round of sanctions, sanctioned by the US Congress, which, in its opinion, could deal "a fatal blow to the Russia-Germany project, led by the state gas company Gazprom," Reuters reported, citing White officials. At home.
“We struck one blow after another, and now we are ready to drive a stake in the heart of this project,” said one of the agency's interlocutors, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Russia this month resumed construction of the $ 11.6bn (€ 9.5bn) pipeline, which is 90% complete, after a one-year hiatus caused by current U.S. sanctions.
New work has focused on a 2.6 km (1.6 mi) stretch of shallow water in Germany's Exclusive Economic Zone, but not yet in deep water off the Danish coast, which makes up most of the 100 km unfinished section.
Washington says the Nord Stream 2 project, which will increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas, will threaten Europe's energy security. Russia says the sanctions represent "unfair competition" aimed at helping US liquefied natural gas producers and insists on completing the pipeline.
The US campaign to pressure Nord Stream 2 is backed by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers who fear it will bypass Ukraine by depriving it of lucrative transit fees. Biden called the pipeline a "bad deal" for Europe in 2016 and criticized Moscow for its alleged role in a massive cyberattack on US government agencies discovered last week.