New Russia sanctions may strain EU-US relations

Significance

The unilateral move is raising concerns in Europe that EU energy companies could be sanctioned and that transatlantic unity on sanctions could be jeopardised.

Impacts

• The bill could cause a further deterioration in US-Russian ties and weaken Trump’s ability to improve relations with Moscow.
• Less EU-US coordination on sanctions could bring internal EU divisions to the fore.
• Apart from Nord Stream 2, the sanctions could also affect the Blue Stream pipeline and a liquified natural gas plant in the Gulf of Finland.