MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th May, 2019) US sanctions targeting the Nord Stream 2 project and the Russian LNG industry increase threats to the national energy security, the Russian Security Council said Thursday.
"US sanctions on the Russian energy sector, primarily targeting the Nord Stream 2 project, the Russian LNG industry and use of modern technologies for producing hard-to-recover hydrocarbons, are a factor enhancing threats to [Russia's] energy security," Security Council Assistant Secretary Alexander Abelin told reporters.
He noted that a number of new challenges and threats in the energy sector had emerged for Russia lately due to the increased politicization of international relations.
"In particular, the situation is exacerbated by increased protectionism in national economies and discriminatory actions by other states against Russian energy exporting companies ... Undisguised lobbying and shameless pushing of the interests of US energy and energy service companies are carried out by the US administration without regard to the interests of even its closest allies in Europe," Abelin stressed.
Nord Stream 2 is a joint venture of Gazprom and five European companies. The project envisages the construction of two gas pipelines that will run from Russia, through the Baltic Sea and to a hub in Germany, bypassing Ukraine entirely. It aims to deliver 55 billion cubic meters (1.9 trillion cubic feet) of Russian natural gas to the EU states every year. The project has been welcomed by some countries in Europe and opposed by others, including the United States. Commenting on Washington's position on the matter, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that his US counterpart, Donald Trump, wanted to protect the interests of US businesses when it came to exporting LNG to Europe.
