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Washington, DC – Lead Republican Michael McCaul has released the following statement in response to the wholly unacceptable report from the State Department on the Russian malign influence project, Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The report announced sanctions on eight new entities, but did not include sanctions on numerous additional entities that are currently working to complete the pipeline, according to multiple credible reports. The administration also announced it was waiving sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, its CEO, Matthias Warnig, and its corporate officers.

“Today’s irresponsible decision by President Biden –  which has been applauded by the Putin regime – clears the way for the Kremlin to complete the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Not only did the administration fail to implement sanctions on numerous entities who are working to complete this Russian malign influence project, but they made the absolutely ridiculous claim that recklessly waiving sanctions on Russian Gazprom subsidiary Nord Stream 2 AG, its CEO – a well-known Putin crony Matthias Warnig – and its corporate officers is somehow in the U.S. ‘national interest.’ The completion of this pipeline will threaten Ukraine’s security, deepen Europe’s dangerous energy dependence on the Kremlin and further enrich the corrupt Putin regime. I call on President Biden to remove these waivers immediately.”

In March, Rep. McCaul sent a letter with House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and House Foreign Affairs Committee Members Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and August Pfluger (R-TX) to Secretary of State Antony Blinken reminding him of the damage the pipeline could cause our European allies and partners.

“It is a Russian malign influence project that threatens to deepen Europe’s energy dependence on Russia and, consequently, enhance the Putin regime’s ability to exert political pressure throughout Europe. It would also allow the Putin regime to bypass Ukraine in exporting natural gas to Western Europe, decoupling the security of Ukraine from broader European security and rendering Kyiv more vulnerable to Russian aggression.”

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