US and Germany reach agreement: Russian gas agreed in Europe

US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations that the two countries' governments will come up with the details of the pact.

The US has strongly opposed the pipeline, as has Ukraine and Poland, which fear it will damage European energy security.

According to Washington, the pipeline would increase the European continent's dependence on Russian gas and enable Moscow to increase political pressure on Poland and Ukraine.

American officials have also said the pipeline could deprive Ukraine of transit fees, which it collects from pipelines passing through its territory.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, at a meeting with US President Joe Biden last week, has said North Stream 2 “is not a project to replace any kind of transit via Ukraine”.

Washington has imposed sanctions solely on Russian KV company T- The RUS, which has participated in the construction of the pipeline, has threatened Germany with possible sanctions.

But, Biden has said later that sanctions against Germany would harm relations with European allies.

Nuland said the US and Germany have pledged to impose sanctions on Russia and German companies if Moscow uses the pipeline as a political weapon.

The US State Department later issued a statement stating that the United States and Germany are steadfast in supporting Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and the selected European path”, while Russia warns that the “does not misuse any pipeline, including North Stream 2, to achieve aggressive political goals”.

North Stream 2 project, worth $11 billion, is nearing completion and will transport Russian gas to western markets under the Baltic Sea, bypassing Ukraine.