Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Challenging Germany, US opens way for sanctions on Russia pipeline

Challenging Germany, US opens way for sanctions on Russia pipeline

Escalating pressure on Germany, US President Donald Trump's administration opened the way Wednesday for tough sanctions as the ally moves forward with the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline with Russia.

"It's a clear warning to companies -- aiding and abetting Russia's malign influence projects will not be tolerated," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a news conference.

"Get out now or risk the consequences," he warned.

Nord Stream 2, which is near completion beneath the Baltic Sea, is set to double Russian natural gas shipments to Germany, the EU's largest economy, at a cost of 10 billion euros ($11 billion).

Trump last year signed legislation that targets contractors working on Nord Stream 2 and another Russian gas project, TurkStream, which goes through the Black Sea.

But while those sanctions focused on technical assistance, the separate Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act lays out harsh measures that can include severing access to the US financial system.

After President Donald Trump reluctantly signed that act in 2017, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson exempted Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream on the grounds that work on the projects had begun before the law.

Pompeo announced revised guidelines that lift the exemptions, meaning German companies will suffer sanctions even for small investments.

His decision does not in itself authorize any action, which still needs to be determined by the administration.

Germany had voiced anger over the earlier sanctions law, saying that it interfered in its internal affairs.

But Ukraine, Poland and Baltic states have voiced fear that Nord Stream 2 will further embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin

"We are adding our voice to those European voices today that are concerned about Russian aggression," said Chris Robinson, a senior US diplomat handling Russia.

"The tools that we have made available today help reinforce that message," he told reporters.

- Different views on security -


Germany, despite political differences with Russia, sees Nord Stream 2 as ensuring a more stable and cleaner source of energy as it shuns coal and nuclear power.

But critics say that Russia will be able to bypass Ukraine, which is battling Russian-backed separatists.

"The Kremlin has continued to push Nord Stream 2 in its effort to exploit and expand European dependence on Russian energy," said Frank Fannon, the assistant secretary of state for energy resources.

"Ukraine's energy infrastructure serves as a deterrent to Russian aggression. Yet the Kremlin now seeks to undermine Ukraine, by making that infrastructure obsolete," he said.

Germany is a longstanding ally of the United States, but Trump has tense relations with German chancellor Angela Merkel, once berating her as "captive" to Russia and belittling her welcome to Syrian refugees.

Trump recently approved plans to pull 9,500 US troops from Germany, accusing Berlin of treating the United States unfairly on trade while not paying enough on defense.

Merkel also apparently upset Trump by declining to attend a Group of Seven summit he had hoped to host in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Former US officials Brian O'Toole and Daniel Fried, now fellows at the Atlantic Council, said Pompeo's announcement appeared to be a "major escalation" over Nord Stream 2.

They wrote in an analysis that the administration was likely hoping to put pressure on Germany rather than intending to issue sanctions.

"Of course, in this administration, the political will to impose sanctions on an allied nation could materialize quickly, with a decision made by tweet, or in reaction to a news snippet," they wrote.

Putin said in January that he hoped Nord Stream 2 would be completed by early 2021 after "several months" of delay caused by the US sanctions.

Despite Trump's anger over Nord Stream 2, he has sought to build relations with Putin and has mused of inviting him to an expanded G7 summit.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×