US ambassador to Germany threatens with sanctions for N Stream-2

MOSCOW, Jan 14 (PRIME) -- U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell has sent a letter to several companies threatening to introduce sanctions against those which support the Russian Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, Bild reported on January 13, citing a copy of the letter.

The official asked to “consider the danger that the project poses for the European energy security, and reputational risks as well as the risk of sanctions associated with this.”

“As you know, the U.S. is decisively standing against Nord Stream-2… The pipeline will have significant geopolitical consequences for our European allies and partners. Our worries are widely shared. The E.U. members from Eastern Europe and many governments of Western Europe, as well as Canada are against the project,” Grenell said as reported by the newspaper.

Spiegel reported that German politicians criticized the letter, quoting Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party Ralf Stegner, member of The Left Party Fabio de Masi, and member of the Christian Democratic Union Jurgen Hardt.

Handelsblatt reported that the German foreign ministry called Grenell’s letter a provocation. The ministry recommended that the companies do not respond to the letter.

In December 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a symbolic resolution opposing the Nord Stream-2 pipeline on concerns that the project will boost the Kremlin’s control over Europe’s energy supplies.

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 will implement the project together with Germany’s E.ON and BASF, Royal Dutch Shell, Austria’s OMV, and France’s Engie.

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