The United States promises to impose new sanctions against European companies involved in the construction of Russian export pipelines. And, despite the seriousness and even danger of these sanctions, they are somewhat beneficial to Russia.
Reverse force
The United States is threatening new sanctions to Russian gas projects, as well as to European companies that are participating in these projects. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised to introduce Nord Stream 2 (as well as Turkish Stream) under the Sanctions Countermeasures of America Act (CAATSA). According to him, the US government may punish foreign companies that dare to cooperate with Russian firms. And if Nord Stream 2 did not previously fall under CAATSA (since it was launched before August 2017 - that is, before the signing of the law by President Donald Trump), now the law has received retroactive effect.
Moreover, the States absolutely do not hide the fact that they adopt this law solely in the interests of "US national security and American foreign policy," because "Russia uses its export pipelines to strengthen the dependence of European countries on it; it’s trying to expand its political, economic and military influence in these countries, ”which undermines the interests of national security and the foreign policy of the United States. And since stupid European companies do not understand this, those of them who from July 15 will participate in a Russian project through the sale, rental or transfer of technologies, goods, services or information worth more than $ 1 million (or the cost of all participation of this partner in a Russian project for 12 months will exceed $ 5 million), will be punished by sanctions from caring Washington.
“Companies that support Russia in the construction of Nord Stream 2 must immediately exit the project — or they will be sanctioned. We will not allow the Kremlin to threaten the energy security of Europe and NATO, ”said Senator Tom Cotton. “This step, coupled with current and future sanctions by the US Congress, will be a reminder to everyone that anyone who helps speed up pipe laying for Nord Stream 2 will be sanctioned,” Senator Ted Cruz echoed.
However, the point here is not only a reminder of the punishment for the completion of SP-2 - in Moscow they assured that the project will, in general, be completed by the forces of Russia itself, for which its completion became a matter of principle. And not only that the United States did not give a damn about the principles of free competition and want to replace Russian hydrocarbons in Europe with American ones - for such a replacement the United States does not have sufficient resources, nor logistics, nor price attractiveness.
And not only in the imitation of activity before the presidential election in the United States, which is discussed by Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev.
Yes, the American media and pseudo-political scientists demand Russian blood because of the fake spread in the States about the money that Russian intelligence paid to the Afghan Taliban for the killing of American soldiers, but in principle, foreign policy topics are not very interesting to the Americans. Especially now, when so many interesting things are happening in domestic politics and economics.
Behind Moscow?
Pompeo reminds Europeans of something else. That, in principle, they are forbidden to cooperate with Russia in the implementation of more or less important projects. A number of American politicians and experts perceive such cooperation as a betrayal of the interests of the collective West (which, of course, are defined only by the United States) and as a split of NATO. And now, those who decide to commit such a crime will feel the 12 executions of the Americans - just as many types of sanctions are offered by CAATSA, and the president can choose five or more of them to punish the guilty.
The irony is that these threats and sanctions can ultimately play against the Americans. To cause a European rebellion is meaningful and uncontested.
In the European Union, many are already tired of the fact that the United States dictates to them how to live. And not just dictate, but publicly and humiliatingly impose their will. Yes, until recently, Europe subordinated to this will and did as they want in Washington, including tearing up concluded contracts with an unwanted American external partner (Iran, against which Trump restored sanctions). And in the end, Europe reached a situation where “behind Moscow”, when further concessions become not only unprofitable, but also extremely dangerous.
Indeed, if in the case of Iran, it was just about lost investments and broken contracts, then in the case of Nord Stream-2 European energy security is at stake. The development of the situation in Libya reduces the country's reliability as an alternative gas supplier (the country will either turn into a protectorate of Turkey hostile to Europe, or continue to be in a state of civil war, where each tribal militia can seize or undermine oil and gas infrastructure to blackmail neighbors and nominal central authorities), which means that the European Union will be critically dependent on Russian gas supplies. What, in the current conditions, also means dependence on the situation in Ukraine (which will either turn into a protectorate of the United States hostile to Europe, or continue to be in a state of civil war, where each nationalist gang can seize or undermine oil and gas infrastructure in the interests of local oligarchs or at the request of Western sponsors )
In this regard, Nord Stream 2 (like the Turkish Stream, even if it goes through Turkey) seriously reduces the risks for the European Union, and therefore for its sovereignty, economy and general subjectivity in the international arena. And if the States really now begin to punish European business for protecting the vital interests of the European Union, then the number of those who will urge to repulse impudent Washington will increase sharply in the EU. Including through retaliatory sanctions.
The author’s point of view may not coincide with the position of the publisher.