US Sanctions on Nord Stream 2 Violate International Law: Russian Ambassador
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – US sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project violate international law, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in response to a media question.
"From the very beginning, Washington strove to prevent the development of normal energy cooperation between Russia and Europe. The unilateral actions of the Americans against the project violate international law and contradict the principle of free market relations. This is nothing more than an attempt to gain a competitive advantage for its fuel and technology suppliers," he pointed out, TASS reported.
"We believe that the format for using the pipeline should be determined in Europe, primarily in Germany, and not in the United States," Antonov added.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order making it possible for the Washington administration to impose sanctions on certain Russian energy export pipelines. Restrictions were introduced against several Russian companies that, according to Washington, are engaged in the construction of Nord Stream 2.
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction of two pipeline strings with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany.
The pipeline’s construction was suspended at the end of 2019 when the Swiss pipe-laying company Allseas stopped work due to Washington’s sanctions. However, work resumed in December 2020 after a year-long pause. News came in late July that the gas pipeline was 99% completed.
