From The Archive 2019: Trump's Sanctions Halt Nord Stream 2 Pipeline. Stops Russian Energy War on Europe.

In 2019, President Trump signed the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act (PEESA), imposing sanctions that halted the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. This bold move demonstrated America’s commitment to preventing Russia from using energy as a geopolitical weapon and curbing Moscow’s ability to finance its military aggression.

The Nord Stream pipelines are integral to Russia’s broader strategy of weaponizing energy dependence to exert political influence over Europe while undermining Ukraine’s strategic importance as a gas transit hub. Through PEESA, President Trump aimed to protect the security of our allies, bolster Ukraine’s sovereignty, and weaken Moscow’s coercive leverage.

The Obama administration refrained from taking direct action to impede the pipeline’s progress, despite warnings that Nord Stream 2 would deepen Europe’s dependence on Russia. Following its completion in 2021, Russia has continued to manipulate gas supplies and exploit Europe’s reliance on Russian energy as a means to destabilize European economies and fund its ongoing military aggression.

President Trump’s decisive action to halt Nord Stream 2 reinforced American leadership in confronting Russian coercion through bold, strategic measures that safeguarded the security of our European allies.

Thank you, President Trump, for taking a firm stand against Russian energy blackmail and protecting our allies from Moscow’s coercive tactics.