Richard Grenell

usbotschaftberlin / Flickr

The project “Northern stream-2” involves the construction of two pipelines with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year off the coast of Russia through the Baltic sea to Germany

Gazprom

Washington is studying the possibility of imposing new sanctions against the project of the pipeline “Nord stream 2”, reported Tuesday the newspaper Handelsblatt, citing the outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, which in February 2020, the President of the United States Donald trump has appointed the acting head of National intelligence.

“On further sanctions agreed by representatives of all factions,” said Richard Grenell, who met last week with representatives of Congress. His words leads to “Interfax”.

Despite the election campaign in the United States, the process of adoption of the bill can be fast, added Richard Grenell.

The project “Northern stream-2” involves the construction of two pipelines with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year off the coast of Russia through the Baltic sea to Germany. The pipeline is to bypass the transit States (Ukraine, Belarus and Poland) through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of five countries: Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Partners “Gazprom” under the project are European companies Uniper, Wintershall, OMV, Shell and Engie.

20 December 2019, the US President, Donald trump has signed the defense budget for 2020, providing for sanctions against the gas pipeline “Nord stream-2” from Russia to Germany and “Turkish stream” from Russia to the European part of Turkey. The launch of the second restrictive measures did not stop, but the construction of “Nord stream – 2” stopped immediately. Swiss company, Allseas pipelay, which was laying pipes on behalf of the company 2 the Nord Stream, the project operator, in advance stopped working, and on December 21 all the court Allseas (Pioneering Spirit, Solitaire and Audacia) were removed from the construction zone, although they had 30 days to minimize work prior to the commencement of the punitive measures.

The sanctions include blocking all U.S. assets fall under the restrictions of the companies prohibit transactions with the defendants in the list, and the ban on entry of representatives of companies in the United States. According to the document, the imposition of sanctions is one of the measures for “containment of Russia” and aimed at “the protection of the European energy security.”

“Gazprom” has decided to build the gas pipeline “Nord stream 2” on its own. To do this, decided to use their own pipelay modernized in the Discovery of the ship “Akademik Chersky”. Currently, according to the Internet service www.vesselfinder.com the ship is in the port of Mukran on rügen island. In nearby Lubmin is gasolene station company Gascade for both “Northern stream”.

According to German publication Focus, American Republican Senator Ted Cruz said that if “Gazprom” uses the ship “Akademik Chersky” in order to finish the pipeline, “the President of the United States can and should impose on Gazprom sanctions.” Cruz, in particular, has threatened the managers of “Gazprom” to deny entry into the United States and to freeze the financial assets.

On 19 may, the foreign Minister of Germany Heiko Maas said that “the theme of the situation around the ship truboprokatniy pipeline”, in Berlin known. Maas said in Berlin no warning from the US Embassy on this matter have been received.

In Moscow determined. In mid-February 2020, Gazprom announced that the gas pipeline will be launched at the end of the year. That “Nord stream-2” already will work this time or early next year, said President Vladimir Putin.