Shaheen Statement on Nord Stream 2 Agreement

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) – a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Chair of the Europe and Regional Security Cooperation SFRC Subcommittee – issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s announcement of an agreement on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline:

“Germany is a critical U.S. ally and I welcome steps by the administration to try to negotiate a diplomatic path forward and consult with our European allies to mitigate the impact of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project,” said Shaheen. “However, I am not yet convinced that this agreement – or any bilateral agreement – can sufficiently provide assurances to our European allies and minimize the considerable economic impact and security implications of this pipeline’s completion. I’ve long contended that the Nord Stream 2 pipeline should not be completed because it empowers the Kremlin to spread its malign influence throughout Eastern Europe, threatens the economic security of our European partners and puts our global stability at risk. I continue to believe that. Putin has made it clear – through his rhetoric and actions – that he will circumvent any conditions placed by the West in order to advance the Kremlin’s agenda, which threatens the territorial integrity of Ukraine and undermines regional European energy security. While I look forward to being briefed by the administration on the final details of the agreement, I’m skeptical that it will be sufficient when the key player at the table – Russia – refuses to play by the rules. More than ever, the U.S., Germany and our European partners must be prepared to respond together in the face of any aggressive action by Russia to destabilize our European allies.”

Shaheen co-authored Nord Stream 2-related legislation designed to halt construction of the pipeline in order to preserve Europe’s energy independence and prevent Vladimir Putin from spreading the Kremlin’s malign influence throughout the region. This bipartisan bill mandated targeted sanctions on vessels involved in installing Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline. It was signed into law in 2019 as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Shaheen built on her work in the FY21 NDAA that became law by adding a provision that further clarifies those sanctions, which target companies working with the Russian vessels sent to complete the pipeline. The Senator’s previous bipartisan effort led to a freeze in the construction of the pipeline. Shaheen and Senator Menendez (D-NJ) recently called on the Biden administration to advance the United States’ interests in Europe through a full diplomatic push to stop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.