The United States Congress is ready to pass a new bill on penalties if Russia tries to complete the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, German newspaper Handelsblatt reports.
According to the newspaper, the sanctions may affect the European firms investing in the project, or companies that will receive Russian gas.
The gas pipeline will run along the bottom of the Baltic Sea parallel to the existing Nord Stream. Finland, Sweden, Germany and Denmark have allowed the laying of the pipes. Berlin hopes that the $10 billion project will be completed within “reasonable time”. The Russian president said in mid-January that the construction will be completed by the end of 2020 or in the first quarter of 2021.
Meanwhile, the U.S. and a number of European countries are opposed to the pipeline, as they believe it will increase Europe’s dependence on Russian gas.
In December, the US adopted a package of sanctions against companies involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Any company property located in the United States will be frozen if the sanctions are violated. As a result, the Swiss company Allseas has ceased its participation in the work.
Russia is threatened with sanctions over Venezuela
U.S. President’s national security advisor Robert O’Brien also did not rule out that Washington may take action against the Russian company Rosneft, RIA Novosti reported.
According to him, if Russian companies do not understand that the support of the official leader of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, “is not just a business decision, but it’s immoral, given what it brings to the people of Venezuela,” the U.S. may impose sanctions “in the near future”.
Earlier, Washington stated that Rosneft was helping the Latin American country to sell oil in order to financially support the regime.
