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Title: Nord Stream Dispute: The Geopolitics of Natural Gas Pipelines under the U.S.-Russia Wrestle
Author: Liu Jia
This spring, a long-distance contest between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin attracted international attention. Biden called Putin a "killer", and Putin responded with "I wish you health" and invited Biden to a live webcast conversation. Not long ago, however, the two sides reached a decision to meet in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to this, the Biden administration's sanctions policy on the "Nord Stream-2" natural gas pipeline project changed, which triggered many speculations and analysis.
Nord Stream 2 is a 1,224-kilometer undersea gas pipeline from Vyborg, Russia, across the Baltic Sea to Greifswald, Germany, which is expected to transport up to 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas to the European market every year. This project has aroused many concerns and controversies. The United States and some European countries see it as a "geopolitical tool" for Russia that could weaken countries like Ukraine, but participants also advocated a commercial cooperation. The practical nature of the project is both commercial and geopolitical.
The Biden administration initially took a hard line, threatening sanctions against the Nord Stream-2 project. However, over time, the attitude of the US government has changed. In May, the United States exempted the operator of the Nord Stream 2 project, saying it was to preserve relations with European allies. The decision was seen as a gesture to Germany to improve U.S.-European relations. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the move was a "constructive step" and stressed that both countries hoped that Nord Stream 2 would not affect their cooperation.
However, the decision has raised concerns in countries such as Ukraine and Poland. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is disappointed by this decision of the United States, believing that the soft stance of the Biden administration on this issue may have a dangerous impact on Ukraine. Poland has also been strongly opposed to Nord Stream 2, fearing that the project could give Russia greater geopolitical influence.
In the face of international concern, the meeting between Biden and Putin has attracted much attention. The meeting was seen as an opportunity for high-level dialogue between the two countries, but both sides also said they would not be overly optimistic and did not expect a major breakthrough from the meeting. There are clear differences in U.S.-Russian relations on issues such as Ukraine, cybersecurity, and human rights, and this meeting may be difficult to resolve. However, the meeting itself remains symbolic, demonstrating the willingness of the two countries to engage in dialogue on an equal footing.
On the issue of the "Nord Stream-2" project, the two sides have reached a certain compromise. Despite the international strife caused by the project, Germany and Russia seem to have the upper hand on the issue, and the Biden administration has chosen to abandon sanctions, sending a positive signal to Germany. However, this does not mean a major turnaround in U.S.-Russian relations. The two countries have differences in many areas, and it is difficult to achieve substantial improvements in a short period of time.
Overall, the geopolitics of gas pipelines has become a microcosm of U.S.-Russian relations. Behind the project are both commercial interests and geopolitical games. The U.S. waiver of sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 project is a trade-off aimed at improving relations with allies such as Germany. However, the differences between the United States and Russia have not disappeared, and the relationship between the two countries remains full of challenges and uncertainties.
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