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The plea comes after Mr Putin reportedly restricted the flow of gas to Europe. He reportedly did so as the newly built Nord Stream 2 pipeline is awaiting approval from German regulators in hopes of avoiding implementation of EU law. The line runs from Russia across the Baltic Sea to Germany, bypassing Ukraine and Poland, and many hoped that Mr Biden would step in to prevent it from being used as a “geopolitical weapon”.
And he signaled that he would when he imposed sanctions on a Russian ship and two companies involved last year, but those sanctions were lifted in May.
Now the head of the Ukrainian energy giant Naftogaz, Yuriy Vitrenko, said he was “confused” by this decision.
He told Exress.co.uk: “There has been a lack of evidence that the US side is ready to confront Russia and get it to act or influence or change the situation.
“The problem with lifting the US sanctions was that Putin has shown that he can be above the law and that he can harass Europe and get away with it.”
“We understand very clearly that this project can be continued when it is clear that it does not comply with European rules, when it is clear that Putin has been using gas as a weapon for some time – it contradicts the statements of the US government that they support the right things and fight the bad things. “
Vitrenko said he hoped for early action from Washington.
He added: “We were confused but we are still hearing that the US government supports Ukraine and supports the values ​​of the western world that support this struggle for the free world, but of course we would like some action in addition to these statements see.
“We strongly believe that the US government needs to reinstate some sanctions on Nord Stream 2, but we believe that it is better late than never.
“It will send a signal to Putin that the West will not accept such deals.”
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This led to an ongoing conflict in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, between Russia-backed separatists and the Ukrainian military, which left more than 14,000 dead and 24,000 injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi held a summit meeting in August with envoys from more than 40 countries to demand the recovery of the Crimea annexed by Russia.
Tensions are therefore already high and Putin’s armament of the pipeline threatens to increase the likelihood of further conflicts.
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