A group of U.S. Senate Republicans said on Monday (November 8) that they have introduced legislation to impose mandatory sanctions on the Russian-backed natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, which opponents believe will be harmful to U.S. allies in Europe.
Six lawmakers, headed by the top Republican Senator Jim Risch of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, proposed the measure as National Defense Authorization Law AmendmentOr NDAA, a comprehensive national defense policy bill passed annually by Congress.
“Unsurprisingly, the Biden administration continued to ignore Congress’s wishes for the North Stream 2 project, and therefore abandoned Ukraine and handed over Russia’s energy leverage to our American allies. “Proposed an amendment to impose sanctions on Beixi 2,” Risch wrote on Twitter.
Republican Senator John Barasso from Wyoming said: “When Russia restricts European energy, the Biden administration needs to sanction North Stream 2 to comply with the law.” “We know that protecting this Russian trap is not in line with our national security. Interests. Our amendment will naturally restore the two parties’ sanctions on Putin’s geopolitical weapons.”
“[The Biden] The government is sending a message of weakness and appeasement to our opponents, encouraging and encouraging them. Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin stated that I am very happy to support this amendment to curb Putin’s malicious activities.
The amendment is expected to impose sanctions on any entity responsible for planning, building or operating Nord Stream 2, as well as any company executives or major shareholders. Foreigners who fall into these categories will not be eligible for a U.S. visa.
Earlier this year, President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel reached an agreement to allow the pipeline to transport Russian natural gas directly to Germany to continue.
Many politicians and energy companies in Germany support Nord Stream 2, because the largest economy in Europe is seeking to phase out coal and nuclear power at the same time.
Germany has been urging the United States to abandon its opposition to the project, believing that the overall relationship is too important to sacrifice for what Berlin calls commercial projects.
The Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom and its Western partners have raced to complete the pipeline to transport natural gas to the Baltic Sea.
Ukraine has long opposed this nearly completed $11 billion project because it will provide Moscow with a theoretical option to stop the flow of natural gas through Ukraine, which will deprive Kyiv of billions of dollars in lucrative transit fees, and said it endangers It’s safe.
North Stream 2 Yes Currently undergoing certification process in Germany, It should last for four months, and then a similar certification by the European Commission. Ukraine has not given up hope that the certification result will be Nord Stream 2 in violation of EU law.
[Edited by Alice Taylor]
