The US government officially waives sanctions against the operating company of the controversial Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2 and its German managing director. In a report sent to the US Congress on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote that waiving the punitive measures would be “in the national interest of the US”.
Nord Stream 2 AG and its managing director Matthias Warnig are involved in activities that violate a US sanctions law, according to the report available to the AFP news agency. However, the application of sanctions would have "negative effects" on relations between the USA and Germany, the European Union and other European allies. However, sanctions are to be imposed on Russian laying vessels, as the report says.
US media had already reported on the sanction decision of the administration of US President Joe Biden on Tuesday. Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) then said that the federal government saw this "as a step that is being taken towards us".
Washington is strictly against the 1200 kilometer long Baltic Sea tube, which should significantly increase the potential for Russian natural gas deliveries to Germany. Like his predecessor Donald Trump, Biden argues that Germany and Europe would become increasingly dependent on Russia and damage Ukraine, the gas transit country.
Source: WELT
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