US Lawmakers Request Biden Administration Briefing On Nord Stream 2 Pipeline - Letter

US Lawmakers Request Biden Administration Briefing on Nord Stream 2 Pipeline - Letter

Four US Congressmen on Wednesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting a briefing on the status of the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline and an implementation plan for sanctions to prevent the gas-exporting project from being completed

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th February, 2021) Four US Congressmen on Wednesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting a briefing on the status of the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline and an implementation plan for sanctions to prevent the gas-exporting project from being completed.

"We stand at the ready to work with you to counter Russian malign influence, including by ensuring the Nord Stream 2 is never completed as intended by the congressionally mandated sanctions aimed at stopping the pipeline," Michael McCaul, Marcy Kaptur, Adam Kinzinger and Ruben Gallego wrote.

The lawmakers asked the requested briefing to the status of the Nord Stream 2 after reports that work on the pipeline resumed on February 7, 2021; the status of ongoing US consultations with allies and any proposals offered to the Biden administration that aim to "persuade it to forego or weaken the mandatory sanctions."

The project aims to complete laying a 745-mile-long twin pipeline that will carry up to 1.942 trillion cubic feet of gas per year from Russia to Germany, passing through the territorial waters or exclusive economic zones of both countries as well as Denmark, Finland and Sweden. The United States is spearheading efforts to halt Nord Stream 2,which is nearing completion despite the threat of imposing sanctions.

The Biden administration has characterized the project as a "bad idea" and vows to coordinate with European allies the enforcement of sanctions against it.

Earlier this week, the Handelsblatt reported that the United States offered Germany to devise a "stoppage mechanism" for Nord Stream 2 in the event of violations of human rights by Russia and to reinforce guarantees to Ukraine that it will remain a supplier of energy resources to the European Union.