US threatens sanctions over Russia-Germany pipeline

Washington: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday threatened new sanctions to stop the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that Russia is building to Germany.

"Our expectation is that those who participate in the continued project will be subject to review for potential consequences," Pompeo told a news conference. President Donald Trump last year signed legislation from Congress that targets contractors working on the 10-billion-euro ($11 billion) project as well as another Russian gas project, TurkStream.

Pompeo announced that the Trump administration is now also including Nord Stream 2 under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, a separate law that lays out sanctions over transactions with countries including Russia. "We are adding our voice to those European voices today that are concerned about Russian aggression," said Chris Robinson, a senior US diplomat handling Russia.