US imposes new sanctions on Nord Stream 2 pipeline, State Department says
Photo: The US State Department has commented on sanctions against Nord Stream 2 (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
The United States has reimposed sanctions on the Russian pipeline project Nord Stream 2. These restrictions are intended to prevent Moscow from using energy resources as a weapon, reports US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel at a briefing.
In response to journalists' questions about the reimposing of sanctions on Nord Stream 2, the State Department representative noted that these were "more technical" restrictions.
"So today, the department is imposing sanctions on a number of entities that had been previously sanctioned pursuant to the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act, as amended, for the involvement in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, as well as several new owners of vessels previously blocked pursuant to PEESA," he said.
Patel explained that this is a case of "redesignation."
"The reason is that we continue to maintain our longstanding opposition to Nord Stream 2 as a Russian geopolitical project and an effort to revive it. We’re going to continue to work and ensure that Russia is never able to weaponize its energy resources and its energy positioning for political gain again," the State Department spokesperson said.
When asked if the current US administration coordinated the renewed sanctions on Nord Stream 2 with the team of incoming President Donald Trump, Patel emphasized that the incoming administration will be able to make its own decisions after the new president's inauguration.
"Let’s not forget that there is one Secretary of State at the time, there’s one President at the time, and after 12 o’clock on January 20th the next administration can speak to its viewpoints on a range of issues, including sanctions on Nord Stream 2,'" Patel said.
Sanctions on Nord Stream 2
Notably, the Russian Nord Stream 2 project, which was being implemented in the Baltic Sea, was never launched due to international sanctions.
Back in February 2022, the US imposed sanctions on the company Nord Stream 2 AG and its executives amid Russia’s large-scale military aggression against Ukraine.
Earlier, on February 22, 2022, Germany halted the certification of Nord Stream 2 following Russia’s recognition of the so-called L/DNR republics, just two days before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
At that time, the German Climate and Environmental Protection Fund also withdrew its support for the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
On December 18 of this year, it was announced that the US State Department had imposed reimposing sanctions on Russian companies, vessels, and individuals already under restrictions for their involvement in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
The US State Department revealed that 11 Russian companies, including Nord Stream 2 AG, the founder of MTV, and 17 ships, were added to the sanctions list.
