Real Russian Collusion, Biden Lifts Sanctions on Russian Pipeline After Killing Keystone XL Pipeline

Sources within the White House revealed to Axios Tuesday President Joe Biden planned to waive sanctions on a corporate entity close to President Vladimir Putin to complete construction of a Russian pipeline into Germany.

The decision to greenlight the Nord Stream 2 pipeline run by CEO Matthias Warnig, a Putin crony and former East German intelligence officer, comes less than five months after Biden yanked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline to Russia’s benefit which runs from Canada to the Texas gulf on his first day in office. The day-one decision cost upwards of 25,000 jobs as the new president preached about nationwide unity.

“The State Department imminently send its mandatory 90-day report to Congress listing entities involved in Nord Stream 2 that deserve sanctions,” Axios reported, adding the department will still request sanctions against Russian ships. “The State Department will also acknowledge the corporate entity in charge of the project … are engaged in sanctionable activity.” Sanctions on the pipeline applications, however, will be waived, opening a new avenue for Russian gas to flow into the central European market.

The move contradicts Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s pledge before Senate lawmakers during his confirmation hearing to block the pipeline’s full construction.

“I am determined to do whatever we can to prevent that completion (of Nord Stream 2),” Blinken said.

President Joe Biden (D) faced intense backlash on Tuesday over a report that said that his administration was going to waive sanctions on a company and its CEO who are responsible for building Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Germany.

“The State Department will also acknowledge that the corporate entity in charge of the project (Nord Stream 2 AG) and its CEO (Putin crony and former East German intelligence officer Matthias Warnig) are engaged in sanctionable activities,” Axios reported. “However, the State Department will waive the applications of those sanctions, citing U.S. national interests.”

The report said that the Biden administration will instead sanction some Russian ships, even though experts told Axios that the way to stop the pipeline was to sanction the German end users of the gas.

The report sparked widespread backlash against the administration after there had been a bipartisan effort to stop the pipeline because it will give Russian President Vladimir Putin leverage over Europe.

The report comes after the Biden administration blocked the Keystone XL pipeline after taking power in January and just days after a major pipeline in the U.S. fell victim to a cyberattack last week from a group based out of Russia.

Here are just a few of the top initial reactions that the report sparked:

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): “Stunning. In defiance of U.S. law, Biden is actively helping Putin build his pipeline. Objectively speaking, the Biden administration is shaping up to be the most pro-Russia administration of the modern era.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): “Biden killed the Keystone Pipeline, but is waiving sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream II. This coming less than a week after the Colonial Pipeline was hacked. Why does Biden believe American pipelines are bad but Russian pipelines are good?”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL): “If true, President Biden just delivered a huge victory to Vladimir Putin, who will now have a stranglehold over Europe’s natural gas supplies. Then-candidate Biden promised to be tough on Russia, but it is increasingly clear that was just campaign rhetoric. There is absolutely no excuse for giving Putin more leverage over our allies and partners, including Ukraine. It is dangerous, naïve, deceitful, and weak.”

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR): “President Biden is caving to Vladimir Putin.”
Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN): “It’s shocking @POTUS Biden will waive sanctions on a firm running Nord Stream 2, a pipeline the current & prior Admins called a ‘Russian malign influence project.’ I’ve been clear that NS2 poses a grave threat to Euro energy security, Ukraine & NATO.”