The Nord Stream 2 pipelayer suspended construction of the gas pipeline due to US sanctions

Gazprom's contractor, the Swiss company Allseas, has suspended work on the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline amid the entry into force of a new US defense budget containing sanctions against Russian gas pipelines.

As the company said in a statement, work has been suspended pending receipt of "necessary regulatory, technical and environmental clarifications" from US authorities.

The company's statement was released hours before President Donald Trump signed the defense budget. After the signing, the US Treasury specified that the sanctions would take effect immediately.

• The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will allow gas to be supplied from Russia directly to Germany. Now its construction is completed by 92%.
• The US Senate passed the new defense budget on December 17. In addition to sanctions against Russian gas pipelines, it includes several other measures “to deter Russian aggression”: military assistance to Ukraine for $300 million and a ban on the supply of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey related to Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400 installations.