OREANDA-NEWS. US senators will vote on sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline next month, the Hill newspaper has reported. 

According to the paper, the vote on the draft, which would impose economic restrictions due to the pipeline, is due to take place by 14 January. 

"The Senate will vote next month on Texas Republican Ted Cruz's project to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2,"- the publication said.

The newspaper clarified that the vote is part of a deal to confirm US President Joe Biden's nominations for State Department posts. Each nominee must be approved, a subject committee gives the first assessment. 

According to the publication, Republican Ted Cruz has promised to put the brakes on the approval of the nominees if sanctions against Nord Stream 2 are rejected. The document, meanwhile, needs the support of 60 senators to pass. 

The construction of Nord Stream 2 has now been completed, but the pipeline cannot start operating without operator certification. This procedure has now been put on hold as the regulator has demanded that Nord Stream 2 AG set up a subsidiary in Germany and submit a new application on its behalf. This is required by European legislation. 

Once this application has been submitted and accepted, the regulator will resume the process, issue its decision, on which the European Commission will then give its opinion. According to German media reports, this process could take several months.