U.S. should impose sanctions on NS2 operator until Russia stops manipulating gas flows - Vitrenko

The United States needs to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 operator until Russia stops manipulating natural gas flows for harmful political purposes, according to Yuriy Vitrenko, CEO of Naftogaz of Ukraine.

He wrote this on his Facebook page.

"Russia has done, is doing, and will continue to do so — manipulating gas flows for harmful political purposes. We have persuaded and continue to persuade the United States that the best course of action in this situation is to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 operator until Russia stops doing so," Vitrenko said.

According to him, evidence of the cessation of manipulations will be the situation when supplies of gas to European companies are moved to the Ukraine-Russia border, gas exports from Central Asia are unblocked and Gazprom loses its de facto monopoly on gas exports through pipelines.

"When everyone sees that it is not Putin, but many different European companies can choose the routes of gas transportation from the Russian border to the EU, then Russia will not be able to manipulate gas flows for harmful political purposes," Vitrenko said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Joe Biden had a meeting on October 30 where the U.S. leader said it was important "to ensure that Russia cannot manipulate natural gas flows for harmful political purposes."

op