US Congress opposes Nord Stream 2

The US House of Representatives approved a resolution against the construction of the Russian Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline worth 11 billion dollars in connection with fears that this project will strengthen the Kremlin’s control over energy supplies to Europe.

The resolution, supported by lawmakers from both parties, states that the pipeline is "a radical step backwards for Europe's energy security and US interests."

The document calls on European governments to refuse to participate in the project and also calls on President Donald Trump to “use all available means to support European energy security.”

The resolution states that Nord Stream - 2 will strengthen Russia's control over the European energy market.

“Russia's geopolitical interest in the“ Nord Stream - 2 ”is not to increase Europe’s energy security, but to drive a wedge between European countries and drastically reduce Ukraine’s political influence with respect to Russia, as well as the significant income Ukraine receives from transit fees ", - the document says.

The House of Representatives calls on European governments to abandon Nord Stream 2, and President Donald Trump to use "all available means to support European energy security through a policy of reducing dependence on the Russian Federation."

The Chamber supports the imposition of sanctions in connection with the construction of the Nord Stream - 2 in accordance with the Law on Countering America's Opponents through Sanctions.

Although the resolution is of a recommendatory nature, it underlines the growing rejection of the Russian project in Congress.

The Trump administration is exploring the possibility of imposing sanctions on European companies involved in the project. The financial partners of the project for the delivery of Russian gas to Germany are the companies Engie SA, Royal Dutch Shell and others.

Фото: Depositphotos

“Doing business with Nord Stream 2 is inconsistent with shared transatlantic values,” US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Francis Fannon said in a conference call earlier in the day.

Nord Stream - 2 is one of several Russian projects to ensure direct access to the world's leading gas producer to its largest European markets, bypassing Ukraine.

Last year, Trump signed a law giving him the right to impose sanctions on companies participating in the project, arguing that Germany could become a “captive” of Moscow.

In response, Moscow called the Trump attacks an attempt to promote US liquefied natural gas in Europe.

Moscow reaction

Meanwhile, the Kremlin regarded the resolution as a new attempt by the United States to compete by political means.

Фото: Depositphotos

A spokesman for the Russian president, Dmitry Peskov, called the resolution of the House of Representatives on “Nord Stream-2” “nothing but camouflaged unfair competition.”

“Here we do not see any new elements, a similar position was voiced both at the level of the US President and at the level of the State Department,” Peskov told reporters. - This is a consistent line, we do not consider it to be correct and acceptable for us, because we are talking about attempts to prevent the implementation of a purely commercial, economic project, which is in the interests of not only the gas supplier, Russia, but also consumers, primarily Germany as an EU ".