Pres. Joe Biden Gets Criticized by Congress After Lifting Sanctions on Russian Gas Pipeline
A crane moves Nord Stream 2 pipes at the Mukran port June 5, 2019 near Sassnitz, Germany. Once installed, off-shore pipeline Nord Stream 2 will take gas directly to Germany from Russia via the Baltic Sea. Axel Schmidt/Getty Images

Bipartisan opposition in Congress and appeals from Eastern European governments were voiced out when U.S. President Joe Biden's administration had decided to waive sanctions on the Russian gas pipeline to Germany.

Republican lawmakers claimed that the Biden administration is handing Russian President Vladimir Putin a major political victory by doing so.

Meanwhile, Democrats had urged the White House to reconsider, with the Kremlin calling the news a positive one, according to an NBC News report.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken had chosen to waive sanctions on the Russian gas pipeline, Nord Stream 2 AG pipeline, and its German CEO Matthias Warnig. He said he believes sanctions would negatively impact U.S. relations with Germany and other European allies.

Warnig is known to be a long-time ally of Putin and a former East German Stasi intelligence officer. He had also served on the supervisory boards of other Russian companies.

Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Sanctions Lifted

The move of waiving sanctions came in a report delivered to Congress by the Department of State.

The project is already more than 95 percent complete. It would take gas from the Russian Arctic under the Baltic Sea to Germany, according to a BBC News report.

The Department of State report stated that Nord Stream 2 pipeline and Warnig had engaged in sanctionable activity. However, it noted that it was in the U.S. national interest to lift the sanctions.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the two countries had a lot of differences but should work together to prevent their interests from colliding.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that there will probably be a chance for a gradual transition to the normalization of their bilateral ties.

Other German officials welcomed the sanction lifting and described it as a constructive step from the Biden administration.

Meanwhile, despite positive reactions from Russian officials, Biden had been put into a negative light by his own party, according to Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Menendez.

Republican lawmakers also doubted the move.

Top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, said that it was a gift to Putin that will weaken U.S.'s leverage.

Growing Pressure on Biden

The pressure was mounting on the president to prevent the completion of the Russian gas pipeline to Europe as many fear it will give Russia huge leverage over U.S. partners and allies.

However, Biden has made a point to restore good ties with Europe, and preventing the completion of the said pipeline could cause a rift in trans-Atlantic relations.

In April, U.S. lawmakers from both parties have demanded the White House to implement new sanctions, hoping to halt the project.

Biden earlier said he opposes the pipeline, which has investment from many European companies, according to an Associated Press report.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously decided last month on legislation that would require the administration to either impose sanctions on the companies involved in the funding of the pipeline or hand out an explanation why they deserve exemptions.

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