Pompeo Threatens New Sanctions Over Russia-Germany Pipeline
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2020 10:16 am
FILE - Workers are seen at a construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, near the town of Kingisepp, Leningrad region, Russia, June 5, 2019.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday threatened new sanctions to stop the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that Russia is building to Germany.
"Our expectation is that those who participate in the continued project will be subject to review for potential consequences," Pompeo told a news conference.
Putin Hopes Europe Will Resist US Pressure on Germany Pipeline
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday strongly defended a prospective Russia-Germany natural gas pipeline as economically feasible and voiced hope that European Union nations will be able to resist U.S. pressure to thwart the project. U.S. officials have warned that Washington could impose sanctions on the undersea Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The U.S. and some EU nations oppose it, warning it would increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia. The U.S.
President Donald Trump last year signed legislation from Congress that targets contractors working on the 10-billion-euro ($11 billion) project as well as another Russian gas project, TurkStream.
Pompeo announced that the Trump administration is now also including Nord Stream 2 under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, a separate law that lays out sanctions over transactions with countries including Russia.
"We are adding our voice to those European voices today that are concerned about Russian aggression," said Chris Robinson, a senior U.S. diplomat handling Russia.
"The tools that we have made available today help reinforce that message," he said.
Germany had voiced anger over the earlier sanctions, saying that they interfered in its internal affairs.