U.S. Senators Agree to Vote on Sanctions Against Nord Stream 2

The United States Senate has concluded an agreement to confirm around three dozen nominees for ambassadorships and senior State Department positions, which includes, among other things, a vote on Nord Stream 2.

According to Politico, these agreements put an end to the stalemate between Sen. Ted Cruz and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Cruz had been slow-walking dozens of foreign policy nominees over the Biden administration’s decision to waive sanctions on Russia‘s gas pipeline.

According to the magazine, Cruz agreed to lift his holds on 32 nominees in exchange for the Senate voting on his legislation to sanction the pipeline before 14 January.

At the same time, German Vice Chancellor, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said in an interview with the FAZ newspaper that the construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline had been a mistake from a geopolitical point of view.

The politician recalled that, according to current laws, the ownership of the network and the company that operates it should be in different hands. He also noted that all European countries, except Germany and Austria, were always against this project, and the issue of putting the pipeline into operation remains open.

As a reminder, the United States and its Western allies consider the pipeline a threat to Europe’s energy security. However, Biden agreed to complete Nord Stream 2 so as not to spoil relations with Germany. Senator Cruz accused Biden of “kowtowing” to Moscow.

Bohdan Marusyak