House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) released the following statement regarding the temporary pause of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline certification as Nord Stream 2 AG, the company in charge of the pipeline, creates a subsidiary to operate the part of the pipeline in German territory. Reps. McCaul and Kaptur previously led a bipartisan amendment to the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that imposes mandatory sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG. The House passed the FY2022 NDAA with the new Nord Stream 2 sanctions in September, and a companion amendment is now awaiting action in the Senate.
“Kremlin-controlled Nord Stream 2 AG’s attempts to superficially restructure in order to subvert EU regulations should fool no one. This Russian malign influence pipeline project must be stopped once and for all – not simply delayed. The ongoing threat to Kyiv and our Central and Eastern European allies must not be tolerated, particularly as Russian troops and military equipment amass on Ukraine’s border. ”
“The Nord Stream 2 sanctions included in the House NDAA would prevent the operationalization of the pipeline, and loosen the Kremlin’s grip on European energy markets as Europe faces a Kremlin-manufactured gas crisis. The security of our transatlantic allies is on the line, and the Senate has a responsibility to act.”