Here is what Biden is trying to do…
The U.S. State Department has announced it would block the Russia to Germany Nord Stream 2 pipeline should Russia invade Ukraine.
Speaking on Wednesday, State Department spokesman Ned Price vowed, “if Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.”
Discussing the plans with NPR, he said he would not be going into specifics but revealed the U.S. would “work with Germany to ensure it does not move forward.”
It appears that Germany is backing the U.S.’s tougher stance as Emily Haber –– Germany’s ambassador to the U.S. –– revealed through a brief Twitter statement, that “The U.S. and Germany jointly declared last summer: if Russia uses energy as a weapon or if there is another violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, Russia will have to pay a high price.”
She added that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock had agreed that “nothing will be off the table, including Nord Stream 2.”
In a later tweet, she said the efforts “go hand in hand with the tracks the US has been pursuing with partners and allies” in NATO and OSCE, in addition to the “bilateral conversations with the Russians.”
Nord Stream 2 has become Europe’s most divisive energy project as it would double the amount of gas Russia delivers to Germany while bypassing Ukraine, a traditional transit nation.
Many have also expressed concern that the project would make Europe more energy-dependent on Russia and eradicate Ukraine transit fees from Russia.
