US State Secretary Mike Pompeo warned on Wednesday the companies working at Nord Stream 2 and the second line of Turk Stream energy pipeline projects are at risk of US sanctions, citing Russia’s “malign” influence in Europe.
“GET OUT NOW AND OR RISK CONSEQUENCES”
Speaking at a press briefing, Pompeo said the Department of State is updating public guidance for the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act authorities to include these projects.
“This action puts investment and other activities related to these Russian energy export pipelines at risk of US sanctions,” he said. “It is a clear warning to companies aiding and abetting Russia’s malign influence projects and [they] will not be tolerated.” “Get out now and or risk consequences,” the top diplomat warned.
He said those investments are “not commercial projects” but are Kremlin’s “key tools to exploit and expand” European dependence on energy supplies.
TurkStream is an export gas pipeline stretching from Russia to Turkey across the Black Sea with a design capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year.