Republicans in the US Senate are confident that in January the overwhelming majority of members of this house of the American parliament will vote to approve the bill on sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline proposed by their fellow party member Ted Cruise (from Texas), Politico newspaper reported, citing sources …
Cruz’s bill obliges the White House administration to impose sanctions on the pipeline within 15 days of its approval, and also allows Congress to vote to re-introduce restrictions if the American president decides to lift them, TASS notes.
Restrictions will be introduced in relation to organizations responsible for the design, construction and operation of the gas pipeline, as well as in relation to a number of their employees. The sanctions include a ban on travel to the United States, as well as an asset freeze in the United States and a ban on American citizens or companies from doing business with blacklisted individuals.
Recall that Nord Stream 2, which runs along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, is intended for direct delivery of gas from suppliers in the Russian Federation to consumers in Europe. The estimated capacity of the pipeline is 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. European partners – Royal Dutch Shell, OMV, Engie, Uniper and Wintershall – are financing the project by 50% in total, that is, up to 950 million euros each. This project is an alternative option for the supply of “blue fuel” to Europe. The gas pipeline bypasses transit states – Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and other Eastern European and Baltic countries – through the economic zones and territorial waters of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The construction of the first string of Nord Stream 2 was completed on June 4, 2021, and the second in September.
Initially, the pipeline was planned to be completed at the end of 2019, but construction was hampered by US sanctions. Washington regards Nord Stream 2 as a threat to Europe’s energy security. In turn, Germany opposes US sanctions, considering US policy as interference in the country’s internal affairs, points out RBC.
On November 8, the deputy head of the Gazprom department, Aleksey Finikov, announced that the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline was completed and it was ready to be launched. “The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been completed and is ready to launch,” the top manager emphasized during a closed meeting with investors.
Meanwhile, to start deliveries, Nord Stream 2 AG must be certified as a pipeline operator. This procedure consists of two stages: first, the German regulator will develop a draft decision, then the European Commission will evaluate it. Berlin has already received a full package of necessary documents from Moscow.
Source: Rosbalt
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