U.S. Congress House of Reps condemns Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, urges cancellation of Nord Stream 2
The U.S. House of Representatives has unanimously adopted a bipartisan resolution that condemned the military aggression committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in the Kerch Strait, as well as the resolution in which it opposed the completion of the construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
The first resolution condemns the attack of the Russian Federation on the ship of the Ukrainian Navy in the Kerch Strait as such, which violates binding international norms and agreements. "The document calls on Russia to immediately return the ships and their crew to Ukraine, stop violating the sovereignty of our state and repair barriers to Ukrainian shipping through the Kerch Strait, which has the right to do so in accordance with international norms and agreements," the Embassy of Ukraine to the U.S. said on Facebook on Wednesday.
The resolution reaffirms the loyalty of the United States in assisting the Ukrainian people to ensure its independence, democratic development and prosperity. Separately, there is an appeal to the U.S. president, as well as to the allies and partners of the U.S. to force the Russian Federation to take responsibility for the aggression against Ukraine.
The resolution contains the call against the completion of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline appealing European governments to abandon this gas pipeline. It also supports the introduction of sanctions against this gas pipeline in accordance with Part 232 of the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act."
The resolution also notes that Nord Stream 2 is a step in the opposite direction towards ensuring Europe's energy security and U.S. interests and urges the U.S. president to use all available tools to support Europe's energy security through a policy of reducing its dependence on Russian energy.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will run more than 1,200 km across the Baltic Sea, connecting gas suppliers in Russia with consumers in Europe. It will have capacity to carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The project is being implemented by Russia's Gazprom in an alliance with European companies Engie, Uniper, OMV, Shell and Wintershall.