REPORT: ‘A Gift To Putin’: GOP House Members Rip Biden For Scrapping Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Sanctions

Republican members of the House of Representatives are sending President Joe Biden a letter chastising his administration’s decision to lift sanctions on construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Fox News reported Monday.

Republican Georgia Rep. Garret Graves, who also serves as the ranking member on the House Select Climate Crisis Committee, led the effort and garnered the support of 68 Republicans including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Whip Steve Scalise, Fox News reported. The letter reportedly warned that “[the] completion of Nord Stream 2, which was slowed during the Trump Administration, will be a gift to Putin and his efforts to increase geopolitical influence in Europe.”

Are we just going to pretend that Putin’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline doesn’t exist–even after Biden gave away our sanctions as a multi-billion dollar gift to Russia? https://t.co/5kvQBaB7qs

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) June 4, 2021

“Waiving sanctions for Nord Stream 2 ‘because it’s almost completely finished’ is the wrong message to our allies and partners and undermines our credibility and global leadership,” they wrote, according to Fox News. Critics of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline argue it would give Russia more geopolitical power by making Europe more dependent on Russian energy.

“These sanctions focused on a one-time communist intelligence officer in the former Soviet-controlled East Germany and close crony of Russian President Vladimir Putin,” the letter continued. (RELATED: Putin Blasts US As Hypocritical Ahead Of Meeting With Biden, Points To Prosecution Of Capitol Rioters)

The letter also criticized the Biden administration’s decision to cancel the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, which they argued would have “enhance[d] our energy security and create[d] job opportunities for Americans,” Fox News reported.

“Lifting these sanctions,” the letter reportedly continued, “prioritizes Russian energy over American energy and Russian jobs over American jobs.”

“We urge you to rethink your action and fully implement the Congressionally mandated sanctions against all responsible parties and actors to permanently stop completion of Nord Stream 2,” the letter concluded.

Biden is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 16 in Geneva, Switzerland.