U.S., Germany reach agreement on Russian gas pipeline, ending dispute between allies [View all]

[former9thward]

Source: Washington Post

The Biden administration reached an agreement with Germany on Wednesday that allows for the completion of a controversial natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, ending a heated dispute between the two allies that overlapped three successive U.S. administrations.

In exchange for an end to U.S. efforts to block the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Germany will invest in Ukraine’s green technology infrastructure and Berlin and Washington will work together on other initiatives to mitigate Russia’s energy dominance in Europe.

The decision drew immediate criticism from Russia hawks in Congress who hoped the United States could find a way to block the nearly-completed multibillion-dollar project they say gives Moscow leverage over U.S. allies in Europe.

The Biden administration viewed the project as a dilemma that forced it to choose between restoring its beleaguered relationship with Berlin and keeping its public promise to oppose the project. U.S. officials doubted that U.S. sanctions could ultimately prevent its completion and argued that a deal with Germany rather than a protracted fight offered the best outcome.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/nord-stream-pipeline-germany-russia/2021/07/21/c8788eda-ea4b-11eb-84a2-d93bc0b50294_story.html?wpmk=1&wpisrc=al_world__alert-world--alert-politics&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=wp_news_alert_revere&location=alert&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.69tscXSC7de3dQ8Qajw7lP5bISoMRYq_7gO2FR_Hkk8