Biden imposes Nord Stream 2 sanctions

Source: The Hill | February 23, 2022 | Rachel Frazin

President Biden on Wednesday announced sanctions against the company behind a controversial Russian natural gas pipeline in response to Moscow’s decision to send troops into eastern Ukraine.

Biden said in a statement that his administration would put sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, the parent company of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and its corporate officers.

“These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate,” Biden said.

Last year, the Biden administration waived sanctions on the pipeline — generating pushback from Democrats and Republicans alike who said it should take a harder line on Russia.

The administration’s decision to waive sanctions on the pipeline was widely viewed as a move meant to appease Germany, after relations between the U.S. and Germany faltered under the previous Trump administration. 

But following Russia’s incursion into breakaway regions in Ukraine this week, Germany also turned against the pipeline. On Tuesday, it announced that it would block its certification. 

In recent weeks, Biden had promised to halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine but German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had stopped short of explicitly promising to block the pipeline in an appearance at the White House earlier this month. 

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Despite recent hurdles for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Russia still a major supplier of fuel to the rest of Europe — providing about 35 percent of the continent’s natural gas.

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