US is preparing new sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

The United States is calling on European allies and private companies to halt work on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and is preparing broader sanctions on the Russian project in the coming weeks, Reuters reports, citing senior officials of the Trump administration, Economichna Pravda writes.

The Trump administration is preparing a new round of sanctions "soon" that it believes could deal a fatal blow to the project, led by the Russian state gas company Gazprom.

Russia this month resumed construction of the $11.6 billion pipeline, which is 90% complete, after a year-long hiatus caused by US sanctions imposed in 2019.

Washington says a project that will increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas will threaten European energy security. Russia says the sanctions represent "unfair competition" to help US liquefied natural gas producers and insists it will complete the pipeline.

As a reminder, the construction of the last section of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Danish waters is scheduled to resume from January 15th.

Earlier, the US Congress supported the tightening of sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.