(A TIMELINE is a sidebar that lists in chronological order
events related to a major news story.)
(Updates with new events after January 27th)
May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday
waived sanctions on the company behind Russia's Nord Stream 2
gas pipeline to Germany and its chief executive.
A bill passed during Donald Trump's presidency imposed
sanctions on companies involved with the nearly-completed
pipeline to bring Russian gas into Europe via Germany,
undermining previous gas transits via Ukraine.
Led by Russia's Gazprom with Western partners, the
pipeline, which doubles the capacity of the existing Nord Stream
1 (NS 1) link has attracted opposition in the European
Union.
The United States says NS 2 increases the EU's reliance on
Russia while NS 2 supporters say the United States is seeking to
increase liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales to Europe.
The following are significant moments in Nord Stream 2's
development:
2011
November: Gazprom and Western partners look into expanding
the pipeline system by a further 55 billion cubic metres at an
estimated cost of 9.5 euros ($11.3 billion).
2015
June: Gazprom, Royal Dutch Shell, E.ON,
OMV, Wintershall and ENGIE agree
to build the pipeline. [https://reut.rs/3haWiiv
]
2016
March: Eight EU governments object citing geopolitical
reasons. [https://reut.rs/2FfVPyF
]
2017
April: Financing agreements are signed.[https://reut.rs/2FgjZZZ
]
2018
January: Germany grants permits for construction and
operation.
2019
January: The U.S. ambassador to Germany says companies could
face sanctions. [https://bit.ly/2FhqaN3
]
December: Swiss-Dutch company Allseas suspends pipe-laying.
Trump signs a defence policy bill including
sanctions.
2020
January.: Russia targets a start in first quarter 2021. [https://reut.rs/2ZnOML8
]
May: Germany's energy regulator declines to grant a waiver
of EU gas directives to the operators.
May: An EU court throws out a challenge to EU gas rules from
the operators of NS 1 and NS 2.
Sept. 3: Pressure mounts on Berlin to reconsider support
after the alleged nerve agent attack on Kremlin critic Alexei
Navalny.
Sept. 15: Data shows a Russian ship sailed for the supply
base in Germany.
Sept. 23: The world's largest group of shipping insurers
says it will not insure vessels involved in NS 2.
Oct. 1: Denmark gives NS 2 permission to operate in Danish
waters.
Oct. 7: Poland fines Gazprom more than 29 billion zlotys
having launched proceedings in June.
Nov. 4: Gazprom appeals in a Polish court against the fine.
Nov. 28: NS 2 says it plans to resume finishing a 2.6 km
stretch in German waters.
Dec. 3: The United States unveils a bill targeting companies
and individuals helping NS 2.
Dec. 11: NS 2 says the vessel Fortuna has resumed work.
Dec. 22: The Danish Maritime Authority issues notification
of pipe-laying works from Jan. 15.
Dec. 24: The Kremlin says new U.S. sanctions could
complicate the completion.
Dec. 28: NS 2 says it has completed the 2.6 km section in
German waters.
2021
Jan 6: The northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
decides to set up a foundation to help the completion of NS 2.
Jan 13: The U.S. State Department warns European companies
of sanctions.
Jan 14/15: NS 2 says pipe-laying will resume in Germany on
Jan. 15.
Uniper and Wintershall Dea say they did not receive any
threats.
Jan 20: Trump on his last full day in office imposes
sanctions on Fortuna.
Gazprom successfully places an 8-year Eurobond worth $2
billion suggesting investors see limited risks.
German environmental groups file complaints with maritime
regulator BSH, effectively preventing further work in Germany
for now.
Jan. 21: The European parliament passes a resolution calling
for a stop to NS 2 completion in response to the arrest of
Navalny in Russia.
Jan. 24: Fortuna resumes work in Danish waters.
Feb 5: Germany is sticking with its support for the Nord
Stream 2 pipeline "for the time being", Chancellor Angela Merkel
said after condemning Russia's expulsion of diplomats from
Sweden, Germany and Poland.
April 22: The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
advanced a bill to pressure companies helping to build Russia's
Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
April 27: Russian vessel Akademik Cherskiy started laying
pipes for the project in Danish waters.
May 19: The U.S. State Department concluded that Nord Stream
2 AG and its CEO, Matthias Warnig, an ally of Russian President
Vladimir Putin, engaged in sanctionable activity. But Secretary
of State Antony Blinken immediately waived those sanctions,
saying that it was in the U.S. national interest.
The State Department also imposed sanctions on four Russian
ships, including the Akademik Cherskiy, and imposed the measures
on five other Russian entities, including the Russian Marine
Rescue Service.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund and Bartosz Dabrowski in Gdansk
Editing by Vera Eckert and Barbara Lewis and Kirsten Donovan)
