U.S. Sanctions Russian Ship Working On Nord Stream 2 Pipeline | RFERL - Jan. 20, 2021 |

The United States has imposed sanctions on a Russian vessel in a bid to stop completion of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would carry Russian natural gas to Europe under the Baltic Sea.

The sanctions against the Russian pipe-laying ship Fortuna and its owner, KVT-RUS, is a departing salvo against Nord Stream 2 as President Donald Trump leaves office after hotly contesting the pipeline.

U.S. State and New Europe

The U.S. government and several EU members want to prevent the pipeline from being completed, saying it will strengthen Russia's energy hold on Europe and undercut Ukraine's role as a transit country for Russian gas.

["Ukraine a hell-hole of oligarch corruptioh" - Oui]

"Nord Stream 2, if completed, would give Russia the means to completely bypass Ukraine, depriving Ukraine of vital revenues and opening it up to further Russian aggressive actions, while providing the means to use natural resources as a tool of political pressure and malign influence against Western Europe," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.

Opponents criticise Nord Stream 2 on environmental, geopolitical, and security grounds

Recent developments

Bloomberg reported on 19 February that the U.S. might hold off on sanctioning German companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 project, as the Biden administration seeks to halt the project without antagonizing a close European ally. It would instead put only a small number of Russia-linked entities on the list.

German, U.S. and international media such as Handelsblatt, Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times reported in mid-February that the administration of new President Joe Biden might be willing to make a deal with Germany on Nord Stream 2, according to government sources.