16:41, 29 October 2019

The Republican Andrew Barr offers that the individuals involved in these actions face the entry ban in the U.S.

US Congressman Andrew Barr (Republicans, Kentucky) introduced a bill, which offers new sanctions against the companies involved in the construction of the Nord Stream II pipeline. This is mentioned in the message of the congressman’s website.

The official described the Nord Stream II as “a project being supported by Russia to spread its malign influence into Europe”. 

H.R.4818, the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act of 2019 foresees “sanctions targeting pipe-laying vessels and foreign entities essential to the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea”.

Barr underlined that the U.S. takes the energy security of EU partners as a priority. “This bill denies entry into the U.S. to individuals who provided assistance to Nord Stream 2 pipe-laying vessels used for certain Russian energy exports.

Additionally, it would give the President the authority to impose sanctions on entities providing financial services and insurance to pipe-laying companies supporting certain Russian energy exports. PEESA also tasks the Administration with developing a strategy to improve the national and regional energy security of U.S. allies in Europe”, reads the message on his website.

The route of Nord Stream II should be crossing the waters of Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. By now, all states but Denmark provided the necessary documents approving the route.

Ukraine, Poland, the Baltic States and the USA stand against the implementation of this project. They urge the EU authorities to block it, claiming that Nord Stream II is actually a gas needle, which increases the dependence on Russian gas supplies.

(C) 112 International 2019