Budapest Post

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

US Senate votes against Nord Stream 2 sanctions

US Senate votes against Nord Stream 2 sanctions

The Republican proposal to pre-emptively sanction Russia over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline ran into opposition

Democrats in the US Senate blocked the Republican proposal for sanctions against Russia over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, saying it didn’t help Ukraine and denied President Joe Biden “leverage” to deal with the Kremlin.

Proposed by Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Senate bill 3436 would have given the White House two weeks to impose travel restrictions, asset freezes, and bans on doing business with US companies for those involved with the natural gas pipeline that runs from Russia to Germany.

Democrats countered that the sanctions would do nothing to stop the Russian “invasion” of Ukraine, which US intelligence and the Biden administration have claimed for weeks to be imminent. Moscow has rejected the claim as “fake news.”

Though several Democrats voted in favor, Cruz’s bill did not get the 60 votes necessary for passage.


Speaking out against the bill on the Senate floor, Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) said the proposal was not about national security but “provincial protectionism,” as its advocates hailed from states producing natural gas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly urged the Senate to pass Cruz’s bill, calling Nord Stream 2 a threat to his country. While Democrats by and large agreed, the party argued that sanctions right now, and in this particular form, harmed Washington in its diplomacy in Europe.

Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) said Cruz’s bill would “undermine the current diplomatic situation, which is absolutely critical” in dealing with Russia.

“This bill isn’t going to help Ukraine – it’s designed to hurt [Biden],” said Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut).

Arguments against the Republican proposal mirrored the talking points sent out by the State Department, and published by Politico on Thursday. The Biden administration argued that sanctioning Nord Stream 2 at present would deprive the White House of a “deterrent” and a “credible piece of leverage” in dealing with Moscow. It also claimed that sanctions against Germany would hurt US relations with the newly elected government.

Germany’s delay in approving the pipeline, the State Department said, had already led to higher gas prices in the middle of a European winter, which only profited energy Russian exports.

The Democrats have presented a counter-proposal that would sanction Russia as well as Nord Stream 2, but would be enacted only if the alleged “invasion” of Ukraine actually happens. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), the architect of the original Magnitsky Act anti-Russian sanctions, predicted the proposal might get anywhere from 95 to 99 votes.

Thursday’s vote comes after the much-anticipated US-Russia security talks in Geneva, Switzerland, which focused on Ukraine. Russian diplomats met with US, NATO, and OSCE representatives this week to discuss Moscow’s proposal for security in Europe, including legally binding guarantees that NATO would not expand into Ukraine and Georgia. The US-led alliance has rejected that offer out of hand.

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
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
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
×