The US Treasury is ready to work with the US Congress on “holding Gazprom” accountable for activities that violate US sanctions, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo said at a hearing before the US Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Russian media informed.
One of the senators criticized the US Treasury Department for refusing to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline operator, Nord Stream 2 AG, whose sole shareholder is Gazprom.
“We are committed to working with you on this committee to hold Gazprom accountable for its activities that violate our sanctions,” Adeyemo replied.
At the same time, the Deputy Minister avoided answering the question of whether the US Treasury believes that Nord Stream 2 AG is carrying out activities that fall under US sanctions.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed on May 19 that the United States refused to impose sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG and its head Matthias Warnig, TASS notes.
According to Blinken, such a decision is in the national interests of the United States. However, the United States imposed sanctions against several Russian participants in the gas pipeline construction project.
The US and Germany reached an agreement on Nord Stream 2 on July 21. In particular, the United States acknowledged that sanctions would not stop the project, and Germany pledged to seek an extension of the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.
The United States reserved the right to take action in the event of Russia’s alleged use of energy resources as a geopolitical weapon in Europe and aggression against Ukraine.
Russia has repeatedly stressed that Nord Stream 2 is a commercial project, while Moscow has never used energy resources as a pressure tool.
