President Joe Biden notoriously stopped the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline back in January, but his administration is making it easier for one of the United States’ most prominent adversaries to finish one in Europe.
An Axios report discovered that the State Department plans to waive sanctions for Nord Stream 2 and its CEO Matthias Warnig, who is a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is already 95 percent complete, and is intended to be an easy way for Russian gasoline to be transported to Germany.
The Biden administration’s plan to waive sanctions on the Nord Stream II pipeline shows it is willing to allow President Putin and his cronies to gain a stranglehold over Europe’s gas supplies. The Administration cannot turn a blind eye and claim to be tough on Russia. https://t.co/gxMw7PtcN6
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) May 18, 2021
While sanctions are being lifted on the company, the ships used to help finish the project will be sanctioned.
Originally, there was serious concern about the pipeline, as it would give Russia significant control over Europe’s energy supply.
“I am determined to do whatever we can to prevent that completion, the last hundred yards, I very much agree,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during his confirmation hearing in January.
A major goal of the project is for Russia to no longer have to go through Ukraine to transport gas, as the former Soviet states are adversaries.
“The Biden administration has been clear that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a Russian geopolitical project that threatens European energy security and that of Ukraine and eastern flank NATO allies and partners,” a State Department spokesperson told Axios.
This move by the Biden administration to let Russia complete its pipeline — seemingly because the president is afraid of making Germany upset — is a slap in the face to Americans who are losing work due to liberal climate policies.
In canceling the Keystone Pipeline, there were 1,000 people laid off and the opportunity for 11,000 jobs disappeared, making this stunning hypocrisy worth noting.
Where is Biden’s rhetoric on climate change when it comes to Nord Stream 2?
The White House is operating under the narrative that the last administration made a mockery out of the United States on the global stage, so it can get away with anything in the name of international relations.
President Biden shuts down American pipelines, yet he green lights Russian pipelines. Meanwhile, drivers pay more at the pump for the privilege of depending on foreign oil.
This is what it looks like to put America last.— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) May 18, 2021
If the new administration wanted to be consistent on pipeline policy, these sanctions would have remained in place without question.
Joe Biden just gave Putin a huge gift. Making Europe more dependent on Russian gas is bad for America.
Weakness is the Biden foreign policy playbook. https://t.co/8LMUF0jZNz
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) May 18, 2021
This is clearly a major concession by the Biden administration, as it is choosing to be weak on Russia and its environmental agenda to be overly friendly with an already solid ally.
Story cited here.