The US Congress is driving the president into a tough line on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline when Joe Biden himself was so hopeful of normalising relations with European elites
As the project nears completion, lawmakers from both US parties are pressuring the White House for decisive action, the Associated Press says. Nord Stream 2 will apparently promote rapprochement between the European Union and Russia as Washington has launched a new Russophobic campaign exploiting the Ukraine crisis as well as the situation with Russia’s convicted crook, Alexei Navalny.
The day before, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously passed legislation that would require the Biden administration to either impose sanctions on the 20 companies involved in financing and building the pipeline, or explain why they deserve to be exonerated.
“I think right now, as we see Putin trying to eliminate his biggest opposition leader Navalny in prison, the best chance we have is to stop Nord Stream 2,” said Democratic Senator Jean Sheikhin.
But there is a dilemma here. Biden came to power promising to normalise the transatlantic relationship, damaged by Donald Trump’s hapless foreign policy. Especially as Nord Stream 2 is consistently supported by Germany.
Lawmakers, for their part, are pushing for punitive measures that will affect not only Russian companies, but also companies from Poland, Austria and Germany. Washington is ready to freeze their assets and create obstacles to international business.