(ANSA-AFP) - WASHINGTON, JUL 21 - The United States said
Wednesday it had reached an agreement with Germany on the
controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would threaten Russia
with sanctions and seek to extend the transit of gas through
Ukraine. President Joe Biden's Republican rivals swiftly
denounced the agreement as emboldening President Vladimir Putin
but the administration argued that it was trying to secure a
favorable outcome from a pipeline that is nearly complete. "This
is a bad situation and a bad pipeline but we need to help
protect Ukraine and I feel that we have made some significant
steps in that direction," Victoria Nuland, the under secretary
of state for political affairs, said as she unveiled details
before a Senate haring. Biden, who welcomed Chancellor Angela
Merkel last week, has waived most sanctions on Nord Stream
required by Congress, arguing that it was too late to stop it
and it was better to work with Germany. The pipeline through the
Baltic Sea has been vigorously opposed by Ukraine, which has
been battling pro-Moscow separatists since 2014 and sees the
transit of Russian gas through its territory as vital leverage.
"Germany has committed in this agreement with us that should
Russia attempt to use energy as a weapon or commit further
aggressive acts against Ukraine, Germany will take actions at
the national level and press for effective measures at the
European level including sanctions to limit Russian export
capabilities to Europe in the energy sector," Nuland said.
Nuland said that Germany had also agreed to work alongside the
United States to press Russia to extend by 10 years a transit
agreement through Ukraine that is due to expire at the end of
2024. (ANSA-AFP).
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