Piotr Naimski, Poland’s Secretary of State for Strategic Energy Infrastructure, agreed with a journalist that a fresh push for more US sanctions could thwart the completion of the controversial energy project opposed by both Washington and Warsaw.
Naimski told public broadcaster Polish Radio in an interview that US sanctions were designed to target “specific companies that have participated or want to participate in the construction of this pipeline.”
A group of US senators this month introduced a bill to expand sanctions on the contested pipeline, which is being built under the Baltic Sea.
The new push for sanctions follows a measure approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump late last year.
Naimski noted on Tuesday that the latest initiative by US senators was a bipartisan and bicameral effort to tighten sanctions.
“If it proves 100-percent successful, it can be hoped that this will result in a further delay of this project,” Naimski said.
He added that “it is in the interest of Poland and Europe that this pipeline does not come about.”
He told Polish Radio that Nord Stream 2 “undermined allied solidarity not only in Europe, but the entire scope of Atlantic solidarity as part of NATO.”
'Crippling and immediate American sanctions'
The latest US bill, known as the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Clarification Act, aims to stop Russia from completing the controversial project by slapping penalties on companies assisting with the construction of the pipeline.
The legislation, spearheaded by Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen follows a measure approved by the US Congress and signed by President Donald Trump late last year.
Sen. Cruz said in a statement accompanying the new bill that “there is bipartisan and bicameral consensus that Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline poses a critical threat to America's national security and must not be completed.”
He added that the legislation “will once and for all clarify that those involved in any way with installing pipeline for the project will face crippling and immediate American sanctions."
Sen. Shaheen said the effort aimed “to ensure that Russia does not surreptitiously extend its malign influence throughout Europe.”
She added that “Nord Stream 2 threatens Ukraine, Europe’s energy independence and gives Russia an opening to exploit our allies.”
The bill must be passed by both chambers of Congress and signed by Trump.
It seeks to impose sanctions on “vessels engaged in all pipe laying activities” as well as companies that provide services for those vessels, including “insurance, port facilities, or tethering services,” and ultimately “any company that provides certification for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to begin operations.”
'New hybrid weapon' against EU, NATO: Polish PM
The Nord Stream 2 undersea gas link is an energy project strongly criticised by Poland and the United States amid concerns that the pipeline will make the European Union more dependent on Russian gas.
Once up and running, the 1,200-kilometre link is expected to have the capacity to send around 55 billion cubic metres of Russian natural gas a year directly to Germany under the Baltic Sea, while bypassing the Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine.
The US Senate in December approved a massive defence policy bill that included a measure to punish companies involved in work to build the pipeline.
US President Donald Trump was cited as saying last June that Nord Stream 2 "really makes Germany a hostage of Russia if things ever happen that were bad."
He added, as quoted by the Reuters news agency at the time: “We’re protecting Germany from Russia and Russia is getting billions and billions of dollars from Germany."
US Vice President Mike Pence warned earlier last year that America “cannot ensure the defence of the West” if its allies grow dependent on Moscow as a result of projects such as Nord Stream 2.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has called Nord Stream 2 “a new hybrid weapon” aimed at the EU and NATO.
Poland’s antitrust authority said this month it had initiated proceedings against Russia’s Gazprom company in a case involving the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
(gs/pk)
Source: IAR, wpolityce.pl