US threatens Germany with sanctions over Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

A dispute between the US and Germany over Russian gas is likely to come to a head this week as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo embarks on a European tour. The US believes a new pipeline makes Germany too dependent on Russia. There is already one pipeline running under the Baltic Sea. Now a new one, Nord Stream 2, is nearing completion. It’s expected to pump some 55 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia to Germany every year. The project has been a major bone of contention between Berlin and Washington. Just last week, US senators threatened to slap sanctions on a Germany’s Mukran Port, where essential building materials for the pipeline are stored. That has caused outrage in the port.