The US State Department issued a statement Wednesday warning European companies against investing in Russia’s Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline. They warned nations that invest with Russia could face US sanctions for doing so.
With US officials already threatening Europe with sanctions over Russia, this is just the latest step in discouraging Europeans to do business the US doesn’t like. Yet Europe is heavily reliant on Russia for energy imports, and the pipeline is certain to continue irrespective of US wishes.
It is this reliance on Russian energy that led President Trump to accuse Germany of being “captive” of Russia. US officials say the new pipeline will increase Germany’s Russian imports, and subsequently reliance on Russian energy.
The US has long opposed Nord Stream 2 because it is an alternative to Nord Stream, Russia’s existing pipeline through Ukraine. Russia sought the new version because Ukraine at times refuses to pay for its gas and gets cut off, and with no alternative route, this could mean cutting off all exports to northern Europe.
Ya gotta love free market capitalism.
🙂 …
caveat emptor, my friend …
Yeah, except we don’t get a choice.
Sanctions are just blackmail.
Trump said he views Putin as a competitor so fight fair Trump. Another reason to pull out of Nato or offer to sell Germany our NG cheaper shipping included. Where’s Bezos?
the US is by far still the world’s biggest and worst bully ; plus sanctions are an act of war – Russia needs to get that Stream done soon
I expect that Trump was being over the top on this one to position himself with some kind of cards to use against Putin in the forthcoming Helsinki talks
Sanctioning a country for infrastructure development is stupid. Germany is much stronger with low cost gas from Russia and has much better control of Russian policy due to the funds they provide Russia.
At some point the world is going to wake up and tell US to pound sand. When it breaks it will be quick.