OREANDA-NEWS. The European Commission is following the discussion on the bill introduced in the US Senate on the imposition of sanctions on Nord Stream 2 and is awaiting US clarification on this issue. This was stated by Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the official representative of the European Commission, at a briefing in Brussels on Wednesday.

“As for the sanctions for Nord Stream 2, we are following this situation and are waiting for additional information from the United States on this issue”, she said, answering the question of what measures Brussels would take if the United States imposed sanctions against companies involved in this international project.

The sanctions initiative, which was supported by 20 members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee with two opposers, was prepared in May by Senators Ted Cruise (a Republican from Texas) and Gene Shahin (a Democrat from New Hampshire). It provides restrictions against individuals and companies that sell or rent marine vessels for the construction of Nord Stream 2, as well as provide financial and technical support or insurance for such vessels.

American lawmakers propose paying special attention to the activities of two construction companies - the Swiss contractor Allseas and the Italian company Saipem, which are laying pipes for Nord Stream 2. According to Cruz, urging colleagues to support his bill, "Russia has experience in using energy as a weapon". The document should now be sent for approval by the full composition of the upper house of Congress. To be adopted, it will also have to be approved by the House of Representatives, after which it will be signed by President Donald Trump.

For many geopolitical reasons, Washington openly opposes the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and is making active efforts to block this project.