US Expands Sanctions on Nord Stream 2 Pipeline, Creating Headwinds for Russia-Europe Energy Cooperation

In late December 2020, the U.S. Congress passed new legislation that expanded the scope of sanctions targeting the "Nord Stream 2" natural gas pipeline project. The pipeline was designed to transport Russian gas directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The American sanctions targeted insurance and certification companies involved in laying the pipeline, aimed at blocking the project's final completion.

Washington asserted that the pipeline would make Europe overly dependent on Russian energy, jeopardizing European energy security and increasing Russia's political leverage over the continent. The Russian government condemned the sanctions as "illegal extraterritorial pressure" and threatened retaliatory measures. For conservatives, the U.S. opposition to the project aligned with energy security principles, aimed at counterbalancing Russia's use of energy infrastructure as a geopolitical lever while ensuring allies did not become strategically reliant on Moscow.