Nord Stream 2 sign
© AFP/Odd Anderson
Ukrainske energiledere og Kievs nationale sikkerhedsembedsmænd lancerede en koordineret lobbykampagne i Washington, der satte USA på kollisionskurs med EU-landene over en ny gasrørledning.

Wall Street Journal rapporterede søndag, hvordan spindoktorer, der arbejder for Kiev-baserede Naftogaz, og mindst en repræsentant for Ukraines nationale sikkerhedsråd pressede i fire år for at påvirke embedsmænd i Det Hvide Hus til at modsætte sig Nord Stream 2-projektet.

Ifølge avisen var de afhængige af tætte forbindelser med såkaldte 'Rusland-skeptikere' i Kongressen, såsom Texas Senator Ted Cruz, for at foreslå en pakke med sanktioner mod europæiske virksomheder, der er involveret i anlæggelsen af ​​Østersørørledningen.

Efter at Washington havde advaret om, at det ville være målrettet mod bygge- og rederier, der var involveret i projektet, som hovedsagelig er baseret i Tyskland og Danmark, siges Naftogazs Vadim Glamazdin at have hævdet, at det ville være 'den sidste søm i kisten.' 'Når disse sanktioner endelig afstemmes og bliver lov, vil der ikke være nogen praktisk måde at bygge denne pipeline på.'

Lørdag blev det rapporteret, at byggeriet ville genoptages på Nord Stream 2 denne uge, efter at en række virksomheder trak sig ud af projektet sidste år som svar på amerikanske trusler om retssager. Den 1.229 km lange vandledningsrørledning vil være blandt de længste i verden, der forbinder Sibiriens naturgasfelter med den tyske havn Greifswald, og mere end 150 virksomheder, der er involveret i opførelsen, er øremærket til straffeforanstaltninger.


Kommentar: Delvist oversat af Sott.net fra Ukrainian lobbyists pitted US against EU over new Russia-Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline


The partnership behind the project, which includes Russian state-owned Gazprom as well as UK, German and French energy firms, say it will "meet growing demands of consumers in Europe." However, Ukrainian politicians are fearful that Kiev stands to lose the $3 billion it makes from transit fees it imposes on Russian gas flowing through the pipelines built by Moscow during the Soviet era. Nord Stream 2 would allow Russia to send supplies to the EU without paying the levy. Ukraine's annual budget is around $40 billion, and this represents a significant source of income.

That argument has undoubtedly found favor with President Donald Trump's administration and senior members of his party who have said that it represents a "grave threat" to Europe's "energy security, and American national security." However, there has been widespread speculation that the US' position is also influenced by a desire to sell vast quantities of American shale gas to the continent. According to Politico, a common refrain in Berlin is that "the Americans don't care about Russia, they just want to sell us their fracking gas."

The issue has become a bone of contention in relations between the US and Germany. In August, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas rebuked Trump's Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the threat of "crushing legal sanctions" currently being considered by Congress on the German port of Murkan, where Russian vessels are supporting construction. In October, Maas said he "assumed" that the project would be completed regardless of Washington's objections. "The question is, when," he added.