Official: Russia works on response to US sanctions on N Stream-2

MOSCOW, Dec 24 (PRIME) -- Russian authorities are working on retaliatory measures to the U.S. sanctions on the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, the Federation Council’s Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said at a briefing on Tuesday.

“The relevant departments are working on response measures, and not only in Russia,” she said, adding that the E.U. announced the need for an adequate reaction.

On December 21, Allseas suspended operations on the project due to the threat of U.S. sanctions and withdrew all its vessels engaged in laying the pipeline from the Baltic Sea after U.S. President Donald Trump had signed a defense budget envisaging spending on counteraction against Russia in various areas including sanctions against the Nord Stream-2.

The Nord Stream-2 project envisages construction of two lines of a natural gas pipeline with an annual capacity of up to 55 billion cubic meters, running from the Russian shore to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Russian gas giant Gazprom is implementing the project together with Germany’s E.ON and BASF, Royal Dutch Shell, Austria’s OMV, and France’s Engie.

Matviyenko called the U.S. sanctions against the Nord Stream-2 an “apotheosis of the absurd” and economic war.

“It has become even more obvious that the sanctions imposed by the U.S. are economic wars. These are sanctions aimed at creating competitive advantages for the U.S.,” she said.

She also said the pipeline project will be definitely completed despite the sanctions.

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