The Dangers of Putin’s Pipeline

This week, under pressure from German Chancellor Merkel, Denmark announced they'll allow the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline through their territorial waters. This move clears the way for Putin and Merkel to complete the pipeline.

Time is running out to stop Putin's pipeline, which if completed will:
• Reward Russia and its aggressive expansionism and economic blackmail,
• Hold our European allies energy security and future hostage to Russia, and
• Undermine America's national security interests.

As analyses and news reports have warned:
• "Russia's $12 billion Nord Stream 2 is not a natural gas pipeline. It's a weapon, in the form of an underwater pipeline [...] Indeed the pipeline represents an existential threat to Europe."
• "The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is a Russian trap [...] And Germany has fallen into it."
• "NS2 is a deeply troubling prospect for those who have long feared the Kremlin's ability to export political influence along with gas."
• "Once the new pipeline is built [...] Russia will be able to shut off energy supplies to Eastern Europe far more easily."
• "With Gazprom's Nord Stream 2, Putin is getting ready to put the screws on Europe. [...] The new pipeline won't deliver energy security. It will make the EU more dependent on a capricious Russia."

That's why along with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I have introduced the bipartisan Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act of 2019. This bill is co-sponsored by Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.).

The bill, which passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with an overwhelming majority, would impose devastating, targeted sanctions on vessels that Putin needs to complete the pipeline.

As I said following Denmark's approval of the pipeline construction:

"Time is running out to stop Nord Stream 2. In a few short months, Russia will have completed its natural gas pipeline - putting President Putin in a position to further expand his military, exploit our European allies, and threaten U.S. energy security. This is exactly why an overwhelming bipartisan majority of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved my bill with Senator Shaheen in July to impose devastating but specifically targeted sanctions related to the vessels involved in Russia's Nord Stream 2 project. I continue to urge the rest of our colleagues in the Senate to quickly pass our bipartisan bill, halt this pipeline, and deprive President Putin the resources to fuel his expansionism and military aggression."