Top Democrats in the United States Senate are rushing to kill a bill proposed by one of their Republican colleagues which would place sanctions on Nord Stream 2.
This is a giant, newly build natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. It’s also widely expected to become soon one of the top cash cows for the regime of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Putin’s Favorite Cash Cow Project
The Nord Stream 2 natural gas transit pipeline is 760 miles and runs straight from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.
The original Nord Stream – or Nord Stream 1 – pipeline was launched in 2011, with a capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year.
Realizing the huge importance of the Nord Stream 2 project for the Russian regime and the huge risks and threats that it poses for the security of Europe, former President Trump slapped tough sanctions on companies working on the pipe.
Those nearly killed Putin’s favorite project. However, in April 2021, Biden decided to kowtow to Putin.
Biden rescinded all US sanctions on Nord Stream 2, even before the two of them met in Geneva in June. By September, Russia managed to fully build the pipeline and is now awaiting its approval by German regulators.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, however, championed a draft bill in the Senate which is going to slap sanctions anew on any companies associated with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
NEW: @StateDept has dispatched officials to Capitol Hill to lobby Senate Democrats against @tedcruz Nord Stream 2 sanctions bill.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 10, 2022
If the bill becomes a law, it will practically freeze Putin’s favorite geopolitical and profit-making energy project.
This is where the anti-American, pro-Russian, and geopolitically impotent stance of Democrats and the Biden administration comes in.
Biden, Democrats Kowtowing to Putin in 1930s-Style Appeasement
According to a report by CNN, a number of Democrat senators are still considering whether they should support the bill proposed by Cruz to deny Putin vast cash inflows.
This would start in the near future, plus include the ability to use natural gas further to blackmail America’s allies in Europe.
At the same time, however, at least some Democrats in the US are working in a backstage alliance with the Biden administration to deny the bill enough votes.
These Democrats want to help the Russian autocrat rake in huge money and solidify Russia’s energy dominance in Europe.
To pass his anti-Putin bill, Cruz will need the votes of all 50 Republican senators, plus ten Democrat senators. While the scenario isn’t unlikely, certain Democrats in the Senate are working hard to deny him the needed votes.
Even if the bill passes the Senate, it is very likely Sleepy Joe Biden would veto it in order to kowtow further to Putin.
This weekend Ukraine's President and PM tweeted that the Senate should pass Sen. Cruz's Nord Stream 2 sanctions bill.
Today the State Dept. sent officials to lobby Dems against that bill.
Both of those things are public.
So obvious question: who is this tweet supposed to fool? https://t.co/1X7qQ6E76K
— Omri Ceren (@omriceren) January 11, 2022
This, of course, would invalidate the whole purposes of the sanctions, which goal would be to deny Putin all the cash and geopolitical advantages stemming from the new natural gas pipeline to Germany.
It would thus prevent Putin from being able to invade Ukraine and bully other European allies of the US.
Nevertheless, several Democrat senators, such as Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, are believed to be firmly committed to backing the Cruz bill.
State Dept officials Victoria Nuland and Amos Hochstein are briefing a group of Dem senators right now outlining the administration’s opposition to Ted Cruz’s Nord Stream 2 sanctions bill, which will get a vote this week.
Needs 60 votes. Admin trying to lock up Dems against it.
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) January 10, 2022
