Iran Press/ Europe: In an interview with Bild am Sonntag, published on Sunday, Richard Grenell admitted that 15 European countries, the European Commission and the European Parliament have all raised their concerns about Nord Stream 2, rejecting the German federal government's criticism of the US sanctions for the project.
However, Grenell claimed that the measures as "a very pro-European decision", saying, "It is also a long-standing US policy that goes back to the Obama administration. The aim is to "diversify European energy sources so that no country or source can have too strong an impact on Europe through energy."
"In the meantime, many European diplomats have thanked me for the sanctions imposed by the US government," Grenell told the newspaper.
The controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project has encountered further difficulties over the last few kilometers. This is due to the sanctions that the USA is threatening companies that are involved in the construction of the gas pipeline through the Baltic Sea. Specifically, the sanctions target the operating companies of the highly specialized ships with which the pipes for the pipeline are laid through the Baltic Sea.
The US President had Donald Trump said on Friday that the Sanctions Act as part of a legislative package for the defense budget signed and put into effect.
Germany regretted the US sanctions
"The Federal Government rejects such extraterritorial sanctions as an interference in our internal affairs," said Deputy Government Spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer.
Nord Stream 2 is the second Baltic Sea pipeline between Russia and Germany. Behind it is the Russian state-owned company Gazprom, which is to finance half of the planned total costs of EUR 9.5 billion. The other half are financed by five European energy companies, including Wintershall-Dea, OMV, Royal Dutch Shell and the French company Engie.
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