it's a pipeline that stretches about 750 miles from
Russia to Germany and the biden administration insist
if Russia invades Ukraine one way or another, North
Stream two will not move forward. Us officials beli
the pipeline could be used to weaponize energy when gas
starts to flow through it to customers in europe. If
Russia invades, uh that means tanks or troops crossing
the the border of Ukraine again, then there will be,
there will be no longer North Team to we will bring an
end to it. After meeting with President joe biden on
monday, Germany's Chancellor, Ola Schultz didn't
explicitly commit to halting the pipeline, instead
saying they would take the same steps unanimously and
their concerns about who's behind the lucrative deal.
The pipeline's owner is Russian state owned energy
company Gazprom. It's German Ceo Matthias warning was
an agent in the Stasi, the secret police under soviet
control in East Germany warning is described in german
media as the oldest german friend of Russian Presid
Vladimir Putin, He's denied a close connection but
worked with some of Russia's largest businesses wit
ties to Putin. Do you have, of course, the involvemen
of a former East german intelligence officer, bu
you have the involvement of former German Chancellor
Schroeder, who basically has, I think throwing the
notion of conflict of interest to the wind and has
become basically a spokesperson for the Russian policy
view on a range of issues that's former US Ambassa
to Ukraine steven Pifer, he says if North Stream Two
goes through Ukraine could lose one billion to $1.5
billion That it receives in transit fees. What the
Russians want, Nord Stream 2 to do is basically to give
them options to move gas to Europe Going around Ukraine.
There are also intelligence concerns. In 2018, a State
Department officials said the pipeline could enable
Russia to install new surveillance technology along t
route on the floor of the Baltic Sea. Both the Trump
and biden administrations have opposed Nord Stream two
imposing sanctions. But in a bid to strengthen the U.S.
Relationship with Germany, the biden administration
waived some sanctions, includin on Ceo Matthias Hornig,
when President biden took office, Nord Stream two was
90% complete. That happened under the trump
administration. So the question us was will we go
after directly using our sanctions power, our european
allies and friends as Russian troops train and bring in
military equipment and medical supplies. Us officials
say they're working to find other gas sources to supply
europe this winter, Russia supplies about a third of
the continent's gas and now it's about to supply even
more to the world's second largest economy china Pu
unveiled that Russia's Gazprom made a deal with china
when he met Xi Jinping for the olympics. Now, North
Stream Two did not respond to my request for comment
today, but it is important to remember that this
pipeline is not operational right now, it needs
certification from european regulators. Sasha though
I'm watching your story, even if it doesn't have, I
don't know, you know, some seal of approval on it.
There's a lot of investment. I saw the pipe right there.
If it suddenly is stopped, what are the repercuss
Right Well, the West is hoping that these threats will
dissuade Putin from ordering an invasion and you know,
we just don't know if it's sustainable that other
countries can meet european gas needs and whether that
will be a long term plan. Just getting through this
winter, we don't know. Now, the SCE has also said that
energy security is so important to government stabili
now combine that and the potential is there with the
flow of refugees. If there happens to be a bloody war
in Ukraine, this could be very destabilizing. Now,
Ambassador piper also said that the Germans are
wondering if this pipeline doesn't go through Are they
going to have to foot A bill That amounts to about $11
billion dollars chance