President Joe Biden waives sanctions against the company and its top manager, which is building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany.

This was announced by the usually well-informed online service Axios.

The White House is evidently showing consideration for the broken German-American relationship.

The move came as a surprise after the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said about his appointment in the Senate hearing: "I am determined to do everything possible to prevent the completion of Nord Stream 2."

Winand von Petersdorff-Campen

Business correspondent in Washington.

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    As planned, the State Department will shortly send its report to Congress on the companies involved in the construction of the pipeline that American diplomats believe deserve sanctions.

    This included Russian ships, which must continue to expect measures.

    The report also criticized the role of the Gazprom subsidiary Nord Stream 2 AG and its boss Matthias Warnig.

    However, it is said that these sanctions would be suspended in the “national interest”.

    The pipeline is 95 percent complete and work has recently been suspended.

    The State Department did not confirm the report, but made it clear that the government position had not changed.

    Companies that participated in the completion would have to expect sanctions.

    The government continues to regard the pipeline as a harmful project because it serves Russia's geostrategic interests and at the same time undermines the energy security of Europe and the NATO allies. Sanctions could be revived at any time. It remains the Democratic and Republican-backed goal that the pipeline never comes into operation. The subject is likely to come up at the Arctic Summit, where Foreign Minister Blinken will meet his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.