In the U.S. Senate introduced a bill to expand sanctions against the “Nord stream – 2”

In the U.S. Senate introduced a bill to expand sanctions against the Russian gas pipeline “Nord stream – 2”. About it reported one of its sponsors, Republican Senator John Barrasso.

According to him, this bill is a continuation taken in the past year in the context of the annual defense budget of the United States of the law “On the protection of the European energy security” (PEESA – the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act), which imposed sanctions against the use of vessels for deepwater pipeline laying for the construction of the “Nord stream – 2”.

Barrasso saidthat the document should “clarify and extend” the existing sanctions.

“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin continues to try to work around these sanctions, and therefore, this new bill will clarify once and for all, that those who are in any way involved in the construction of the pipeline, will face serious and immediate American sanctions,” he said.

In particular, it is supposed to punish companiesthat provide services of underwriting insurance and reinsurance for vessels working on the pipeline.

Also under the sanctions can get the firm conducting the testing, inspection and certification of participants of construction.

The bill was supported by five house members from both parties, including Senator from Texas Ted Cruz.

2 June it was reported that the applicant for the completion of the pipeline “Nord stream – 2”, the ship “Akademik Chersky” changed hands, which could allow Gazprom to avoid new US sanctions.

In December 2019, the President of the United States Donald trump signed the defense budget for 2020, which envisages the introduction of sanctions against the Russian gas pipeline “Turkish stream” and “Nord stream – 2”. Immediately after that, the Swiss company Allseas has suspended work on the construction of “Nord stream – 2” and withdrew from the Baltic sea and its pipe-laying ships. Russian energy Minister Alexander Novak said that for the completion of the gas pipeline Russia could use the Russian pipe-laying vessel “Akademik Chersky”. It was transferred from the far Eastern port of Nakhodka in the Baltic sea. Now laying vessel is in the territorial waters of Germany, in the port of Mukran.

“Samara thermal power property Fund” in March was in the list of affiliated entities of Gazprom. The founders Fund was listed “Gazprom Teploenergo” and “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Samara”. According to RBC, in late March, the STIF changed residence from Samara to Saint Petersburg. An Agency source in Gazprom said that the company believes “the sanctions risks in connection with the operation of the vessel in vain”

“Nord stream – 2” gas pipeline that will link Russia to Germany under the Baltic sea. The willingness of the pipeline is 93%. The length of the trail is more than 1,200 km, the new pipeline’s capacity will be 55 billion m3 of gas per year. The cost of the project is €9.5 billion, half of it financed by the Russian “Gazprom” and five European companies: Anglo-Dutch Shell, German Wintershall and Uniper, Engie French and Austrian OMV.

The authorities of Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are considered “Nord stream – 2” the threat to Europe’s energy security.

In 2018, Germany, Finland and Sweden were allowed to lay the pipeline through its territory, Denmark gave permission only in 2019. It was expected that the construction of the pipeline will be completed by the end of 2019, but then starting the “Nord stream – 2” is moved to the end of 2020.