Wednesday, December 8th, 2021
In the case of the Russian invasion
USA rely on “leverage” Nord Stream 2
Nord Stream 2 has been a thorn in the side of the US and other western states for years. In view of a feared invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the White House is again bringing sensitive measures against the Baltic Sea pipeline into play. Germany is cooperative.
The US has threatened Russia with measures against the German-Russian Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2 in the event of an attack on Ukraine. “We have had intensive talks with both the outgoing and the new German government about the issue of Nord Stream 2 in connection with a possible invasion,” said US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, in Washington on Tuesday.
“The fact is that there is currently no gas flowing through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which means it is not operational, which in turn means it is not a lever on Putin,” Sullivan said. “Rather, it is a leverage for the West because if Vladimir Putin wants gas to flow through this pipeline, he may not want to take the risk of invading Ukraine.”
According to an insider, the United States has already agreed with Germany to close the controversial pipeline in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. This is what US government officials said to MPs, the Reuters news agency learned from a congressional representative. The USA had received corresponding assurances from the German side. However, it is unclear whether both governments have agreed on a definition of an invasion.
The Office of the President in Washington said Germany had made commitments regarding Nord Stream 2 in the event of Russia’s “aggressive action” in Ukraine. An invasion would be such a step. A European diplomat told Reuters that the US had told its allies that it would impose sanctions on the pipeline anyway in the event of an invasion. This would mean that steps on the German side would be unnecessary: ”If the USA impose (additional) sanctions, that is an academic question,” said the insider. “Nobody will be able to do business with Nord Stream 2 for fear of US sanctions.”
Energy should not be used as a “weapon”
Natural gas is to be transported from Russia to Germany and other European countries through the approximately 1200-kilometer-long double tube. The Federal Network Agency still has to approve the line. US President Joe Biden and MPs from both major congressional parties have been critical of the gas pipeline for a long time. They fear that Europe will become too dependent on Russia. The Moscow government rejects invasion plans in the Ukraine crisis. On Tuesday, Biden and his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin spoke about this topic in a video summit.
The US had already imposed a number of sanctions on companies, ships and individuals involved in Nord Stream 2 in the past. In the summer, the federal government had also reached an agreement with the United States. In a joint statement, they warned Russia “to use energy as a weapon or to commit further aggressive acts against Ukraine”. In this case, Germany will “act at the national level and urge the European Union to take effective measures, including sanctions, to limit Russian capacities for exports to Europe in the energy sector, including gas”.