This Tuesday the us House of representatives may adopt the draft law, which will hinder relations between the United States and the European Union. This law needs to toughen sanctions against Russia, which is suspected of meddling in American elections.
The first version of the law received in the other house of Parliament, the Senate, an overwhelming majority — 97 out of 100. This proof is non-partisan unity, which in polarized Washington has become a rarity.
The main motivation for this law is the attempt to link us President Donald Trump hand in Russian politics. This is quite understandable after election team trump was suspected of cooperation with the Russian government, and the President himself has not taken any tough stance against Russian manipulation.
Bad side effects
However, this bill has serious side effects. First, he States about the “unilateral” approach to sanctions policy. Still, the United States and the EU coordinated its actions on sanctions against Russia, which came into force after the illegal annexation of Crimea.
The idea of a joint approach has been to American companies due to sanctions was not allowed to do business in Russia, not replaced by the European, who could seize the moment. Therefore followed to prevent replacement of Americans by Europeans. These consultations, which is so reasonable for both sides, obviously no longer required. Now the Americans want to solve everything themselves.
Even worse is that this bill wants at the same time to authorize and also the business that the companies of other countries with Russian partners. This is the notorious and disturbing at the same time the willingness of us lawmakers to extend its competence beyond state borders, which is already known in other areas.
America should not be doing this
One of the Express purposes of this bill is the Nord stream — 2. This pipeline is to deliver Russian natural gas to Germany. American foreign policy has long been doubts about this pipeline. Under President Barack Obama campaigned for politicians to ban it. From the American point of view, it enhances the EU’s dependence on Russia and weaken its most important partners — Poland and Ukraine, which have in Washington a strong lobby.
This EU law will be put before accomplished facts. This includes the economic desire of the United States to become an exporter of energy commodities, including liquefied natural gas. This bill is a blatant formulates this goal, namely, to promote American gas exports to create jobs. American legislators rarely so articulate precisely the fact that national commercial interests are more important to them than the fruitful cooperation with the European Union.
Americans put emphasis also on the fact that this pipeline will increase the dependence on Russia and thereby threaten European energy security. The EU has, of course, there are good reasons to take part in diversification of energy supplies in Europe. However, that’s exactly what he’s doing. For example, it participated in financing the construction of a terminal for processing liquefied natural gas. Thus, American firms get a chance in the European market. This pipeline is highly controversial within the European Union for different reasons. And this discussion should take place in Europe. The United States has no competence when it comes to the development of European energy security. They should worry about their own Affairs.
Until now, liquefied natural gas from America not playing in Europe any role, because its exports have long been hampered by us laws. In addition, he still was just too expensive. If the Americans want to offer a competitive product, then they could already sell it in Europe.
Latest revision of this bill has not yet been published. However, the hopes that trump would block it with a veto, fading. Because rarely demonstrate unity, according to trump, the risk exists that Congress will have enough votes to overcome a veto. The latest version of the bill provides, according to trump, more freedom of action in the sanctions policy.
However, the Europeans should not get your hopes up because trump is very sympathetic to American energy corporations and hatched a plan to make America in this sector, the export giant. Thus he would have to agree with the fragment of the law, which aims at a Russian pipeline. The friendship between the United States and Europe — a bad prospect.
