The new US administration has signaled its readiness to lift sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline under construction, provided that Germany fulfills a number of conditions.
This was reported by the Handelsblatt newspaper with reference to Washington officials involved in the negotiations.
“The Germans must offer a comprehensive solution,” the source said, adding that otherwise the American side will not be able to solve the problem with the Nord Stream 2.
According to the newspaper, the Americans are interested in the issue of the gas pipeline being linked to a mechanism that will prevent the pipeline from operating in the event of a reduction in transit supplies through Ukraine.
On January 19, the US Treasury announced the expansion of sanctions against the gas pipeline project. The restrictions were imposed on the Russian pipe-laying vessel Fortuna and its owner. Restrictions include a ban on exports, banking and foreign exchange transactions, blocking of assets and property.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called Washington’s new sanctions hostile, stressing that the United States blatantly ignores the norms of fair competition.
German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said on January 24 that if Germany stops the construction of Nord Stream 2, Berlin will face litigation.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki noted that, according to US President Joe Biden, the construction of “the pipeline is a” bad deal” for Europe.
The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed the hope that the European Union will not succumb to blackmail from Washington on this project.
Nord Stream 2 is being built from Russia to Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea with the aim of direct and reliable gas supplies to Europe. The EU countries mainly support the project and participate in its implementation. The USA, the Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine are against.
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