Biden announces sanctions on Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline
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The move is part of a series of sanctions the US and its western allies imposed on Russia this week in a final attempt to drag Russia into war with Ukraine.
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US President Joe Biden
US President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that the United States imposed new sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream 2, a pipeline that would transport Russian natural gas to Germany over the Baltic Sea, fueling the already rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
In a statement, Biden said, "I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers."
Furthermore, Biden hailed Germany as "a leader" on the issue, adding that "as I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate."
"Through his actions, President Putin has provided the world with an overwhelming incentive to move away from Russian gas and to other forms of energy," Biden added.
Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz suspended the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project with Russia in a step to appease the US.
The West is using Nord Stream 2 as a bid to pressure Russia, however, halting the project will surely affect the economy of all western parties involved.
It is noteworthy that the pipeline's construction is complete but German regulators had not yet approved its use.
Biden announces 'first tranche' of Russia sanctions
US President Joe Biden announced the first round of economic sanctions against Russia on Tuesday.
“Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine,” Biden said on Tuesday, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was “setting up a rationale to take more territory by force.”
The first round of sanctions on Russia announced target VEB Development Bank, Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company (PSB), and 42 of their subsidiaries, as well as Russia's sovereign debt and Russian "elites and their families."
Russia’s recent decision to recognize DPR and LPR followed a deterioration of the situation on the line of contact between Ukraine and the breakaway republics. Russia has repeatedly denied any intention of launching a large-scale military operation against Ukraine, but nevertheless, the West continued to militarize Ukraine, which in its turn, bombed the DPR and LPR over the past few days causing civilian and military casualties, without Russia even moving an inch.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
