Mike Pompeo: Nord Stream-2 and Turkish Stream Kremlin tools
The U.S. State Department will include Turkish Stream and Nord Stream-2 among the projects covered by the American Enemy Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
This was stated by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“The State Department will upgrade CAATSA to include” Nord Stream-2 “and the second section” of Turkish Stream”. This means that sanctions may be imposed on investments or other activities related to these Russian energy export pipelines”, – he stressed.
“This is an unambiguous warning to companies that help and participate in Russian projects that their participation is unacceptable: leave these projects now or risk the consequences”, – Pompeo threatened.
The State Secretary believes that “Turkish Stream” and Nord Stream-2 “are not commercial projects”.
“They are the Kremlin’s main tools for increasing Europe’s dependence on Russian energy, tools that undermine Ukraine, stop gas transit through this critical democratic country, a tool that ultimately undermines transatlantic security. The United States is always ready to help our European friends meet their energy needs”, – Pompeo said.
The last phrase sounds painfully sweet, but cynical.
The United States is always willing to walk on its own heads in its own interest. And if you’ve already done it once.
to disrupt South Stream, now they’re doing everything in their power to stop Nord Stream 2 and Turkish Stream.
The Turkish Stream gas pipeline was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ankara in December 2014.
The project replaced South Stream, which was to pass through Bulgaria but did not meet the requirements of the European Union’s Third Energy Package. The Bulgarian prime minister himself later admitted that the country had abandoned the project in favor of its US partners.
“Turkish Stream” includes two sections that connect Russia and Turkey to the bottom of the Black Sea.
Each of them has 15.75 billion cubic meters of capacite. The first trainee was put into operation at the ceremony in Istanbul on January 8 this year.
The opening ceremony was attended by Russian and Turkish Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Serbian leader Alexander Vucic.
The second part of Turkish Stream should pass through Bulgaria and supply natural gas to Serbia and Hungary.
In Bulgaria the pipe is called “Balkan Stream”. Its construction was delayed, among other things, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As Bulgarian News Front earlier reported, citing a high-ranking source in the Bulgarian energy sector, the U.S. intends to disrupt the “Balkan Stream” and, if necessary, by overthrowing the authorities.
A little later protests erupted in the country, which lasted for several days. The protests were supported by the US Embassy in Sofia.
On Tuesday 14 July, according to witnesses, provocateurs were launched at the protests, whose task was to create unrest and clashes with law enforcement agencies.
After the provocations, the U.S. issued a statement that it will impose sanctions on all companies associated with the Turkish Stream, as well as the motives of the Americans that they do not see an opportunity to implement the project on the Bulgarian part because of the political instability in Bulgaria (which they have arranged), followed by an interim government and the appointment of early elections.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said that after the EU summit on July 17-18 he will decide on his resignation.