The US has issued new sanctions against a number of Russian-based enterprises for their involvement in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, including new sanctions against the project operator - Nord Stream 2 AG, Reuters quoted US State Department as saying on December 18.
The US State Department statement stressed that sanctions have been reimposed on a number of businesses and organizations involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as well as new owners of the sanctioned vessels.
Russia-based maritime and waterway transportation service agencies, state-owned maritime rescue agencies and more than 10 vessels are subject to sanctions in the latest US sanctions package.
Nord Stream 2 AG - the operator of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project - and a Russia-based insurance company that provides insurance to companies participating in the gas pipeline project are also subject to sanctions.
The US remains against Nord Stream 2 as well as efforts to revive the project, noted US Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman Vedant Patel.
We will continue to work on ensuring that Russia can never weaponize its energy resources and energy positioning for political gain, Vedant Patel said.
Nord Stream 2, controlled by the Russian state, was built in the Baltic Sea to deliver Russian gas to Germany. Nord Stream 2 and the Nord Stream pipeline exploded on September 26, 2022. At the time of the sabotage, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline had not yet officially entered commercial operation but was still containing gas.
Even before the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in February 2022, Washington opposed Nord Stream 2 because the pipeline would prevent Russian gas from passing through Ukraine, leading Kiev to losing billions of dollars in transit fees.
Before the conflict in Ukraine, the Nord Stream pipeline supplied about 35% of all Russian gas imports to the European Union. However, before the Nord Stream sabotage occurred, Russia had suspended gas supplies indefinitely on grounds of needing "maintenance".
In recent years since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, the EU has made efforts to wean itself off Russian energy supplies, including purchasing more liquefied natural gas from the US and other suppliers, devoting more resources to nuclear power and building more recycling stations and many other measures.
