The tenacity of the US Congress on Nord Stream 2 deserves a better cause – senior lawmaker – Business & Economy

MOSCOW, July 2. / TASS /. Washington’s actions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline are an example of unfair competition, all gains of which would sooner or later be lost, and the tenacity of US lawmakers deserves a better cause, said Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the International Affairs Committee. of the Russian State Duma. in his Telegram channel on Friday.

“The fanatical tenacity of lawmakers in their attempts to stop Nord Stream 2 is worthy of a better cause. This project, of an exclusively economic nature, has effectively been completed. The maritime part of the first Nord Stream 2 pipeline is technically complete and active work on the second pipeline is underway, ”Slutsky said.

The senior legislator noted that Nord Stream 2 is good for Europe, and Europeans themselves recognize this.

“However, the United States does not care about the needs of its Euro-Atlantic allies, despite all Washington talk about unity. In recent years, the United States has sought to cleanse the European market of its own liquefied natural gas – a more expensive and more difficult resource to transport – by any means possible. Ukraine was an instrument of pressure. Nord Stream 2 would have allowed Russia to exert pressure on Kiev by depriving it of gas transit, ”he noted.

“All of this is just unfair competition from the United States in the gas market, which they would lose sooner or later. All this hassle around Nord Stream 2 is a shining example of Washington’s selfish methods of promoting its geopolitical and economic interests, including by imposing sanctions. When will our European partners finally open their eyes? ”Slutsky concluded.

Previously, the US Congress approved an amendment to US State Department funding for 2022, which overturns the US administration’s decision to reject sanctions against Nord Stream 2.