{"id":1100294,"date":"2021-12-08T20:43:39","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T01:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1100294"},"modified":"2021-12-08T20:43:48","modified_gmt":"2021-12-09T01:43:48","slug":"analysis-bidens-nord-stream-2-move-opens-the-door-to-a-russian-invasion-into-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-bidens-nord-stream-2-move-opens-the-door-to-a-russian-invasion-into-ukraine\/","title":{"rendered":"ANALYSIS: Biden\u2019s Nord Stream 2 Move Opens The Door To A Russian Invasion Into Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fanalysis-bidens-nord-stream-2-move-opens-the-door-to-a-russian-invasion-into-ukraine%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1100294&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><ul>\n<li><strong>President Joe Biden\u2019s lax policy on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, choosing to remove barriers to its construction, has opened the door to a Russian invasion of Ukraine.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cBiden made a preemptive concession at the beginning of his administration without going to the table and talking with Putin,\u201d former Under Secretary of Defense Robert Wilkie, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in August that his government views the project as a \u201cdangerous geopolitical weapon of the Kremlin,\u201d AFP reported at the time.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>President Joe Biden\u2019s lax policy on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, choosing to remove barriers to its construction, has opened the door to a Russian invasion of Ukraine, an expert told the Daily Caller News Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was recently completed, argue it would make Russia less reliant on the Ukrainian gas pipeline network, potentially stripping a key deterrent to invasion, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilsoncenter.org\/blog-post\/security-implications-nord-stream-2-ukraine-poland-and-germany\">according<\/a> to The Wilson Center. Nord Stream 2 would remove both a key revenue source from Ukraine and a powerful tool the nation has in defending itself against Russian aggression.<\/p>\n<p>In May, Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/nord-stream-2-and-european-energy-security\/\">said<\/a> the U.S. would <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/05\/18\/joe-biden-nord-stream-2-russia-vladimir-putin-antony-blinken\/\">waive sanctions<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2018\/07\/12\/russia-germany-trump-pipeline\/\">placed<\/a> on the pipeline by former President Donald Trump. Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/07\/21\/nord-stream-2-joe-biden-mike-pompeo-germany-russia-ukraine\/\">gave a final stamp of approval<\/a> to the $11 billion project, which is operated by the Russian state-run firm Gazprom, on July 21 after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBiden made a preemptive concession at the beginning of his administration without going to the table and talking with Putin,\u201d former Under Secretary of Defense Robert Wilkie, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>Wilkie added that once the natural gas begins to flow from Russia to Europe via Nord Stream, the European nations relying on it for their energy needs will be less inclined to protect Ukraine from potential Russian aggression. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/12\/03\/republicans-joe-biden-administration-crude-oil-export-ban\/\">(RELATED: Dozens Of Republicans Slam Biden Administration For Considering Crude Oil Export Ban)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce the natural gas starts to flow, you have just tethered Western European comfort and prosperity to Moscow,\u201d said Wilkie, who also led the Department of Veterans Affairs from July 2018 until January.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Ukrainians have figured correctly that the Europeans are going to be neutered, they\u2019re not going to want to turn off that flow for economic reasons,\u201d he continued. \u201cAnd that leaves the United States, and perhaps the Eastern European friends of America, particularly Poland, as their only buttress against Russian adventurism.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7333887\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"34\">\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7333887\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet during a summit on June 16 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Peter Klaunzer\/Pool\/Keystone via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>While Gazprom <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gazprom.com\/projects\/nord-stream2\/\">completed<\/a> the roughly three-year construction of the project in September, it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spglobal.com\/platts\/en\/market-insights\/latest-news\/natural-gas\/110821-russia-waiting-patiently-for-startup-of-nord-stream-2-gas-link-kremlin\">continues to wait<\/a> for final regulatory approval from Germany. The pipeline will be able to transport 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Russia to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea once online.<\/p>\n<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in August that his government views the project as a \u201cdangerous geopolitical weapon of the Kremlin,\u201d AFP <a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/live-news\/20210822-nord-stream-2-dangerous-geopolitical-weapon-zelensky\">reported<\/a> at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Biden explained in July that he prioritized maintaining a good relationship with Germany in his decision to approve the pipeline. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/12\/07\/big-oil-executives-green-energy-transition-climate-change\/\">(RELATED: Big Oil CEOs Thumb Nose At Green Energy Transition, Say Fossil Fuels Still Have \u2018Essential Role\u2019)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy the time I became President, it was 90 percent completed. And imposing sanctions did not seem to make any sense,\u201d Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/speeches-remarks\/2021\/07\/15\/remarks-by-president-biden-and-chancellor-merkel-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany-in-press-conference\/\">told<\/a> reporters during a joint press conference with Merkel after they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.gov\/joint-statement-of-the-united-states-and-germany-on-support-for-ukraine-european-energy-security-and-our-climate-goals\/\">agreed to the pact<\/a>. \u201cIt made more sense to work with the Chancellor on finding out how she\u2019d proceed based on whether or not Russia tried to, essentially, blackmail Ukraine in some way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, like Wilkie, Republican lawmakers have said the pipeline would potentially give Russian President Vladimir Putin the ability to use gas exports to Europe as a geopolitical weapon. Russia unexpectedly <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/24\/russia-natural-gas-export-europe-germany-gazprom\/\">slowed<\/a> gas supply into Europe in August and administration officials <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/10\/25\/russia-natural-gas-exports-weapon-nord-stream-2-joe-biden-white-house\/\">expressed worries<\/a> in October that the country was using it as a weapon.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7333886\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"36\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7333886\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-7333886\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1235419058-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"A photo of the Pipeline Inspection Gauge receiving station, the Nord Stream 2 part of the landfall area in Lubmin on Germany&#039;s Baltic Sea coast, taken on Sept. 21. (John MacDougall\/AFP via Getty Images)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1235419058-scaled-1.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1235419058-190x120.jpg 190w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1235419058-620x391.jpg 620w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1235419058-768x484.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1235419058-1536x968.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1235419058-2048x1291.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7333886\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A photo of the Pipeline Inspection Gauge receiving station, the Nord Stream 2 part of the landfall area in Lubmin on Germany\u2019s Baltic Sea coast, taken on Sept. 21. (John MacDougall\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cPutin is showing every sign that he intends to escalate his military aggression against Ukraine,\u201d a spokesperson for Sen. Ted Cruz told the Daily Caller News Foundation. \u201cBiden\u2019s surrender on Nord Stream 2 emboldened Putin to bypass using Ukraine for gas transit and increased Ukraine\u2019s vulnerability.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only acceptable course for the United States is to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 immediately and prevent it from coming online,\u201d the spokesperson added. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/12\/07\/mexico-canada-build-back-better-joe-biden-electric-vehicles\/\">(RELATED: Mexico, Canada Claim Democrats\u2019 Budget Bill Violates Trade Agreement)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Citing concerns over the pipeline, Cruz has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cruz.senate.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/sen-cruz-biden-administration-is-enabling-putin-to-complete-construction-of-nord-stream-2-pipeline\">placed multiple holds<\/a> on Biden nominees for various positions until the White House \u201cdoes more on Nord Stream 2.\u201d The Texas Republican has held up dozens of nominations, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/10\/02\/us\/politics\/senate-confirmation-cruz-nominations.html\">reportedly<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/bidens-treasury-hobbled-by-cruzs-nomination-blocks-over-nord-stream-2-officials-2021-10-11\/\">hobbling<\/a> the Treasury Department and State Department.<\/p>\n<p>The Texas senator has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sWQKr9ES9UY\">threatened<\/a> to block the annual National Defense Authorization Act over the issue, demanding a vote on his amendment which would reintroduce sanctions on the pipeline.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the Biden administration and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have warned Russia against aggressive military actions along the Ukraine border, The New York Times <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/11\/10\/us\/politics\/russia-blinken-ukraine.html\">reported<\/a>. Russia <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mid.ru\/en\/foreign_policy\/news\/-\/asset_publisher\/cKNonkJE02Bw\/content\/id\/4988103\">slapped back<\/a> on Wednesday, sending a note to the U.S. embassy in Moscow saying there would be \u201cdangerous consequences\u201d of Western actions along the border.<\/p>\n<p>A top Ukrainian defense official <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/12\/07\/bloody-massacre-ukrainian-official-describes-devastation-russian-invasion-would-bring\/\">said<\/a> a Russian invasion would spell disaster for both nations and lead to a \u201cbloody massacre.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact <a href=\"mailto:licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org\">licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Joe Biden\u2019s lax policy on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, choosing to remove barriers to its construction, has opened the door to a Russian invasion of Ukraine. \u201cBiden made &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":181,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1100294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1100294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/181"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1100294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1100294\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1100294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1100294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1100294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}