Nord Stream 2 Operator Says Sanction Threats Are Discrimination Against European Companies

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Threats to impose sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project are discrimination against European companies, the project operator, Nord Stream 2 AG, told reporters.

"Any threat of sanctions is unlawful discrimination against European companies. We agree with the European Commission that extraterritorial sanctions are a violation of international law and that EU policies and practices should not be defined by them", the company said.

US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell said earlier Tuesday that new sanctions against Nord Stream 2 could be passed quickly by the US Congress, despite the election campaign.

On 20 May, the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) made the Nord Stream gas pipeline exempt from the EU gas directive in Germany for 20 years.

The Nord Stream 2 is a joint venture of Russia's Gazprom and five European companies. The pipeline will carry up to 1.942 trillion cubic feet of gas per year from Russia to Germany through the territorial waters or exclusive economic zones of Denmark, Finland, Germany, Russia, and Sweden.

A number of Western states, including the United States have long been opposing the project while Washington is trying to promote its liquefied natural gas to the European market. In December 2019, the US included sanctions against companies, involved in the project, in the 2020 defence budget. Russia has vowed to complete the pipeline, albeit with a delay.