The cabinet of Germany is awaiting a final decision of the US Congress on sanctions against Nord Stream-2, the attitude to extraterritorial sanctions remains unchanged, spokesman for the German government Steffen Seibert said at a briefing in Berlin.
“Our answer is that our well-known position on this kind of sanctions remains unchanged, and for the rest we expect what kind of decision the Congress will take”, – Seibert said.
Nord Stream-2 involves the construction of two pipelines of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from the Russian coast through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The United States is actively opposing the project, promoting its liquefied natural gas in the EU, as well as Ukraine and several European countries. The US imposed sanctions on the project in December, requiring the construction companies to stop construction immediately. Swiss Allseas almost immediately announced the suspension of the gas pipeline. The Russian Federation has repeatedly stated that the project is commercial and beneficial to Europe.
Earlier, congressmen from the Republican and Democratic parties submitted a bill to the House of Representatives that would increase sanctions against the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project.
The German authorities are preparing a response if the White House realizes its threat of additional sanctions against the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline, Bloomberg reported earlier, citing government sources in Berlin. In an internal document of the German Ministry of Economy, it says that new US sanctions can affect a significant number of European companies and banks, as well as government organizations. In response, the government of Angela Merkel is considering a plan for coordinated action by the European Union, the agency said.