US spares ally Germany in sanctions for Nord Stream pipeline

The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Russian companies and ships for their work on a European natural gas pipeline opposed by the U.S., but chose not to punish the German company overseeing the project

REYKJAVIK, Iceland -- The Biden administration imposed sanctions Wednesday on Russian companies and ships for their work on a European natural gas pipeline adamantly opposed by the U.S., but President Joe Biden angered many Democratic and Republican lawmakers by opting not to punish the German company overseeing the project. Waiving penalties regarding ally German in the Nord Stream 2 project was “in line with our commitment to strengthen our Transatlantic relationships as a matter of national security,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. The U.S. has battled for years to block the pipeline, now 95% complete, though construction has not yet started on its German leg. The pipeline will carry natural gas from Russia to Germany, increasing Russia's leverage as a vital energy supplier in Europe. The U.S. argues that the pipeline threatens European energy security, heightens Russia's influence and poses risks to Ukraine and Poland in bypassing both countries. Critics of the pipeline had hoped to stop it by targeting the German company and its top executive.