Posted on 06/11/2018 12:54:11 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
The White House is on the verge of introducing penalties against companies engaged in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which will deliver Russian natural gas to the EU across the Baltic Sea.
Apart from Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom, the project is being undertaken by German energy firms Wintershall and Uniper, French multinational Engie, British-Dutch oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell, and Austrian energy company OMV.
Initially, Gazprom's European partners were planning to become stakeholders in the Nord Stream 2 AG, which is registered in Switzerland. However, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, Polands antitrust watchdog, blocked the proposed joint venture between Gazprom and the European firms in 2016.
The challenge was addressed through a financial arrangement. The European partners offered loans for the project instead of creating a joint venture to work in line with legislation and regulators. Gazprom received 2 billion ($2.3 billion) to build a fifth of the pipeline.
The Nord Stream 2 project covers the construction of two threads of a gas pipeline that will run from Russia to the coast of Germany via the Baltic Sea. The controversial pipeline, approved by Germany and Finland, is projected to deliver 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas to European customers every year. It's expected to be put into operation in 2019.
The project was strongly opposed by some European states, including Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic countries. The US has also slammed the pipeline, claiming the project undermines energy security both in Europe and the US.
(Excerpt) Read more at rt.com ...
The optics look bad for this. I means it’s one thing to demand nuke programs to end but its quite another telling a friend they can’t build a pipeline on their own property.
I hope Trump drops this notion very quickly.
I agree with you. This kind of rubs me the wrong way.
A lot of countries en route have a problem with it, but I doubt sanctions will happen. Trade war with E.U. is amping up in its stead. And new sanctions on Russia were announced today.
Reagan did not go this far when the Euros got that gas pipeline built but Reagan operated in an era when Americans were prepared to take the role of Atlas, supporting the globe on America’s broad shoulders, because of the Soviet threat. Today, at a time when the Cold War is long over, we are still shouldering the brunt of their trade restrictions *and* taking care of their defense. We need to rework our defense and commercial arrangements so that our allies aka military dependents no longer take advantage.
Try to imagine the response in this thread if the article was instead about the EU sanctioning U.S. companies for such a thing. I doubt it’d go over well.
[Try to imagine the response in this thread if the article was instead about the EU sanctioning U.S. companies for such a thing. I doubt itd go over well.]
I thought Trump worked for Putin.
That’s what intellectual heavyweights such as Samaritan Bee argue.
“It’s expected to be put into operation in 2019.”
Basically done.
Yes...and Sweden has just signed off on NordStream 2...though, things can still change or be stopped midway. As recently as today some oil experts claim it’s still not a “done deal.”
https://www.pipeline-journal.net/news/nordstream-2-not-done-deal
Expect to hear more stories like the following, as Russia is not known for respecting borders or borders in dispute. Every island “in question” is a potential Crimea. Today:
“Japan protests Russian undersea cables to disputed Kurill Islands territory.”
Similar reasoning behind worries over pipeline.
Friend? I’d say Poland is a greater friend of the USA than Germany will ever be!
You can build a pipeline but you still have to sell the gas. What is missing here is information on contracts. The USA is already selling natural gas to Europe and has become the world’s largest producer. Several LNG terminals are ready to come on line. Competition, which Russia did not expect, is heating up.
The notion that Europe has to kowtow to the US on this pipeline is as absurd as the notion the American taxpayer has to subsidize European security.
After 75 years of hand holding the feckless Europeans its time to let go!
Oh, that big 1982 Siberian explosion?
Fort Worth Star-Telegram / The New York Times | 2/3/04 | William Safire
Posted on 02/03/2004 9:13:42 PM PST by Valin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1071087/posts
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