Russia yesterday criticized US sanctions over a giant gas pipeline to Germany as illegal and an example of "unfair competition". The sanctions, which must be approved by US President Donald Trump, are the companies participating in that project.
The USA is preparing sanctions in order to maintain "artificial dominance on European markets" and force EU members to buy more American gas than Russian gas, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said yesterday.
His comments came as US lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favor of a package of sanctions against companies and managers involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2, a $9,5 billion gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.
The nearly completed project, led by Russian state energy company Gazprom, would double the consumption of Russian gas in Germany and bring Moscow billions of euros. It would also bypass several Central and Eastern European countries, including Ukraine, thereby weakening their negotiating position during the gas crisis and depriving them of monetary compensation for gas transit.
American companies do not approve this project at a time when they are trying to sell their more expensive gas on the European market, according to Deutsche Welle.
In order for the sanctions to take effect, Trump needs to sign them, and it is expected that he will do so.
Peskov said that the sanctions will not prevent the North Stream from becoming functional. "We expect this project to be completed," he said.
Peskov said that the move by the US represents a "violation of international law" and that, in addition to Moscow, Berlin and Paris also oppose it. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday that she opposes American sanctions because they will affect other countries, not only Russia. Merkel pointed out that negotiations between Moscow and Kiev on a new gas contract are ongoing.
Those negotiations are somewhat hopeful, Merkel said, adding that "it would be very inconvenient for Ukraine to lose transit commissions" because the negotiations are complicated by the dispute over the gas pipeline. The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is expected to start operating in 2020.
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