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Russia gas export pipeline in jeopardy as Trump signs sanctions bill


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Russia gas export pipeline in jeopardy as Trump signs sanctions bill

By Timothy Gardner

 

2019-12-21T030043Z_2_LYNXMPEFBK00F_RTROPTP_4_USA-DEFENSE-CONGRESS-NORD-STREAM.JPG

FILE PHOTO: Allseas' deep sea pipe laying ship Solitaire lays pipes for Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea September 13, 2019. REUTERS/Stine Jacobsen/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Swiss-Dutch company Allseas said it had suspended work on building a major Russia-to-Germany natural gas pipeline in order to avoid U.S. sanctions contained in legislation signed by President Donald Trump on Friday.

 

The move throws into doubt the completion date of the $11 billion project that Moscow had said would be ready in months, jeopardizing plans to quickly expand Russian sales of natural gas to Europe via pipeline.

 

The participation of privately-held Allseas, a specialist in subsea construction and laying underwater pipeline, is integral to the completion of Nord Stream 2, led by Russia's state energy company Gazprom.

 

"In anticipation of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Allseas has suspended its Nord Stream 2 pipelay activities," the company said in a statement dated Dec. 21, seen by Reuters shortly before Trump signed the bill.

 

"Allseas will proceed, consistent with the legislation's wind down provision and expect guidance comprising of the necessary regulatory, technical and environmental clarifications from the relevant US authority."

 

The annual national defense policy bill contains legislation, first sponsored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, imposing sanctions on companies laying pipe for the project that will double the pipeline's capacity to Germany.

 

The bill calls on the administration to identify companies working on the project within 60 days to trigger the sanctions. That report will likely be completed faster than that, however, meaning the sanctions could be triggered earlier than expected, two U.S. senior officials told Reuters.

 

Nord Stream 2 would allow Russia to bypass Ukraine and Poland to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany.

 

Gazprom is taking on half of the project's planned costs and the rest is divided between five European energy companies: Austria's OMV, Germany's Uniper and Wintershall, Royal Dutch Shell and France's Engie.

 

The Trump administration, like the Obama administration before it, opposes the project on the grounds it would strengthen Russian President Vladimir Putin's economic and political grip over Europe. Russia has cut deliveries of the fuel to Ukraine and parts of Europe in winter during pricing disputes.

 

"We have a degree of consistency, over a decade of opposing this issue, across presidential administrations," one of the U.S. officials said.

 

The United States has become the world's top oil and gas producer in recent years and is aggressively trying to sell the products abroad. The Trump administration has touted U.S. liquefied natural gas as "freedom gas" that gives Europe an alternative to Russian supply.

 

Washington says that Nord Stream 2 would also likely deprive Ukraine of billions of dollars in gas transit fees.

 

Germany says it needs the gas as it weans itself off coal and nuclear power.

 

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Writing by Mohammad Zargham and Sonya Hepinstall; Editing by Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler)

 

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-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-21

 

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4 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

The saints or what?

The arms industry needs wars.

Here a list.

https://www.globalresearch.ca/united-states-bombings-of-other-countries-americas-bombing-list/5533371

 

 

 

No EU countries in that list.

 

And about that website:

Wikipedia: 

Globalresearch.ca, a Canadian conspiracy theory website operated by Michel Chossudovsky's Centre for Research on Globalization

"the online spread of pro-Russia propaganda and of disinformation." 

"key accelerant role in helping popularize articles with little basis in fact that also happen to fit the narratives being pushed by the Kremlin"

 

Founded by a Russian, spreading fake Russian propaganda. Be careful with what you read online ????

 

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24 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Disagree, but really don't want to get in another thread about the USA acting as world police.

 

So...  You think the US should allow Germany to fund terrorists and criminals operating globally?

 

Who are we going to call when Russia starts to use the nuclear weapons pointed at EU cities ?  The weapons we paid for by buying Russian gas?

 

Hey, it's the EU calling the US:  We were not willing to pay 10% more for US gas but we prefered to fund Russian nuclear weapons and now they are shooting at us!  It hurts so much! Can you please come to help us like you did in WW2?  Yeah, we need the world police because we were to lazy to even spend 2% of our budget on self defense.

 

 

Edited by dimitriv
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Just now, stevenl said:

You replied to my post, bu maybe you did not read it or understand it. So I'll repeat it for you: "Disagree, but really don't want to get in another thread about the USA acting as world police.".

 

Why not?  I would love to understand you, so I am really interested in your opinions.

 

 

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29 minutes ago, dimitriv said:

 

So...  You think the US should allow Germany to fund terrorists and criminals operating globally?

 

Who are we going to call when Russia starts to use the nuclear weapons pointed at EU cities ?  The weapons we paid for by buying Russian gas?

 

Hey, it's the EU calling the US:  We were not willing to pay 10% more for US gas but we prefered to fund Russian nuclear weapons and now they are shooting at us!  It hurts so much! Can you please come to help us like you did in WW2?  Yeah, we need the world police because we were to lazy to even spend 2% of our budget on self defense.

 

 

Why not let Germany fund terrorists?   After all Yanks are funding the Saudi terrorists to the point that the ones they were funding turned on them   Maybe a case of pot calling the kettle?

 

Well if I had my way I would not be calling the Yanks...point to note there is more than the US with a nuclear capacity, the UK and France can deploy too, yes i agree they dont have a lot but probably enough to obliterate most major cities in Russia, and some!

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4 hours ago, from the home of CC said:

the world is tiring of this arrogance..

 

Yes, far be it from America or any other country to be allowed to choose who they will and won't do business with.

 

Especially if it effects the German governments hypocrisy.

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39 minutes ago, Caps said:

Why not let Germany fund terrorists?   After all Yanks are funding the Saudi terrorists to the point that the ones they were funding turned on them   Maybe a case of pot calling the kettle?

 

Well if I had my way I would not be calling the Yanks...point to note there is more than the US with a nuclear capacity, the UK and France can deploy too, yes i agree they dont have a lot but probably enough to obliterate most major cities in Russia, and some!

 

Er, the UK will be out of the EU. If you are relying on NATO, then NATO relies on the Americans. Maybe Germany should meet it's NATO spend on military commitments like some other EU countries should.

 

Germany, with ambitious carbon neutral targets, not wanting nuclear power, becomes more and more reliant on Russian gas, piped in by that nice Mr. Putin. What could go wrong?

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