US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that the White House opposes the Nord Stream 2 energy project, which she said rides roughshod over European energy security.
"As many people know, we oppose the Nord Stream 2 project, the US government does. We believe that the Nord Stream 2 project would undermine Europe's overall energy security and stability. It would provide Russia another tool to pressure European countries, especially countries such as Ukraine," the White House press service cited Nauert as saying.
She did not rule out that the US may slap sanctions on companies involved in the construction of the gas pipeline.
"At the State Department, we have spent a lot of time speaking with our partners and allies overseas to explain to them the ramifications of CAATSA (the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act). And how an individual or a company or a country can run afoul against CAATSA and fall into sanctions," the spokesperson stressed.
"We don't tend to comment on sanctions actions but we've been clear that firm steps against Russian energy export pipeline sector could — if they engage in that kind of business – they could expose themselves to sanctions under CAATSA," Nauert concluded.
