President Joe Biden on Tuesday stood by his decision not to sanction the company in charge of building Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, characterizing the move as protecting relationships with European allies.
"But it was almost completed by the time I took office," Biden added."And to go ahead and impose sanctions now would I think be counterproductive in terms of our European relations and I hope we can work on how they handle it from this point on." The move to let the pipeline proceed unimpeded -- signaling that the administration is prioritizing unity with allies over concerns about a potential geopolitical threat -- could also increase strain between the White House and Democratic lawmakers, many of whom oppose Nord Stream 2.
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