The United States and Germany have officially agreed to complete the construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The countries have already published a joint declaration containing promises for Ukraine. In particular, US President Joe Biden admitted that he could not do anything with the Russian gas pipeline.
The declaration is titled "A Joint Statement by the United States and Germany in Support of Ukraine, European Energy Security, and Our Climate Goals" and was published on its website by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.
In the document, the United States and Germany stated that they strongly support the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence of Ukraine and its European path and reaffirm the need to take measures against Russian aggression and Russia's destructive actions in Ukraine and abroad.
At the same time, the countries have pledged to apply sanctions against Russia if it tries to use gas to harm Ukraine.
The US and Germany also agreed that transit to Europe through Ukraine should continue beyond 2024. For instance, US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said that the authorities of the two countries are ready to seek an extension of the agreement on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine for another 10 years.
According to her, the agreement stipulates that Washington and Berlin will try to reduce Ukraine's dependence on the transit of Russian gas and gas supplies from the Russian Federation.
In addition, the German authorities have pledged to appoint a special envoy who would oversee the extension of the agreement on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.
At the same time, most US lawmakers, regardless of party, reacted negatively to such a deal. Some of them believe that Russia will still use the pipeline against Ukraine and transatlantic energy security.
Context. Russia launched separate parts of the project in test mode in June 2021.
The American administration imposed sanctions against the participants in the construction of the gas pipeline for the first time on January 19, 2021. Subsequently, MEPs adopted a resolution urging to stop the Nord Stream 2 completion in response to the arrest of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Gazprom stated that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline construction could be postponed or temporarily stopped due to political pressure.
However, shortly after Joe Biden had been appointed President of the United States, Congress decided to stop imposing sanctions on Nord Stream 2.