US Warns of Possible Sanctions on Gas Pipeline from Russia to Germany

A senior US diplomat warned that the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, which passes through the Baltic Sea, raises security concerns and faces the possibility of US sanctions. Sandra Oudkirk, an energy expert and senior official at the US State Department, stated during a visit to Berlin on Thursday that the US opposes the pipeline known as "Nord Stream 2" and may impose sanctions due to its impact on increasing "harmful" Russian activities in Europe. She said, "We will first try to take all necessary diplomatic actions to prevent the implementation of this project, and the US Congress has given the government the authority to impose sanctions on Russian gas and energy transfer projects if necessary." Oudkirk added that the non-implementation of this project would please the US. These remarks from the American diplomat came just a day before Angela Merkel's meeting with Vladimir Putin in the Sochi resort area. It is expected that the leaders of Germany and Russia will discuss the gas pipeline project and the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement with Iran. Despite taking a firm stance against Russian actions in recent years, including the Ukraine crisis and other issues, Merkel has defended the gas pipeline construction plan, stating that Germany urgently needs to secure its gas supply sources. Germany, the largest economy in Europe and the largest importer of natural gas, plans to increase its reliance on other energy sources, including gas, while shutting down its nuclear power plants. Dirk Weiss, the German government's Russia relations official, stated that despite severe disagreements between Russia and the West regarding Ukraine and other issues, the gas pipeline and the nuclear agreement with Iran are among the few issues where Germany can cooperate with Moscow. The "Nord Stream 2" pipeline, which costs approximately $11 billion to construct, will double the volume of Russian natural gas exports to Western Europe and is expected to begin operations by the end of next year. The Russian company Gazprom, Shell, and several other Western companies began preliminary construction work on the pipeline this week on the shores of Germany in the Baltic Sea, and German factories have long started producing the pipes that will be installed in the sea. Oudkirk stated that this project increases security concerns as it jeopardizes gas transit from Ukraine, which heavily relies on Russian gas transit revenues, and may allow Russia to place advanced listening devices in sensitive military areas like the Baltic Sea. She added, "This new project allows for the installation of advanced listening devices along the pipeline route, and this is a threat." Oudkirk reminded that the Russian government had previously halted gas transit through Ukraine during disputes with that country, and Washington is concerned that the Baltic Sea pipeline could similarly make Western Europe "vulnerable" to Russia and increase their dependence on Russian gas. She dismissed the notion that the US opposition to this pipeline is due to a desire to sell more liquefied gas to European countries. A spokesperson for Nord Stream 2 rejected the concern that the new pipeline would increase dependence on Russian gas, stating that it is just one of the sources of gas supply for Western Europe. The German government has acknowledged that Ukraine's interests must be considered. The German economy minister recently traveled to Moscow and Kyiv to reach an agreement for part of the Russian gas to transit through Ukraine. Currently, Ukraine earns about 2 billion euros annually from the transit of Russian gas to Western Europe. The German economy minister expressed optimism that even with the operation of the Baltic Sea pipeline, a "significant volume" of Russian gas exports would still pass through Ukraine.