OREANDA-NEWS. Bild newspaper reports with a reference to an internal document from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy that the German government is preparing for imposing US sanctions against construction of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

According to the publication, the sanctions can enter into force on Friday, but authorities expect that the pipeline will be completed in 30 days, which will give an opportunity to stop activities without fines.

The United States provided sanctions against Nord Stream 2 in a draft defense budget. The restrictions are connected with the companies that build it. The construction consortium includes companies Engie (France), OMV (Austria), Royal Dutch Shell (Great Britain, Netherlands), Uniper and Wintershall (Germany).

The Federal Republic of Germany believes that the sanctions will not affect the Nord Stream 2 AG consortium, the subsidiary of Russian company Gazprom. “Western investors and the Nord Stream 2 consortium are not in the focus of the announced sanctions,” Bild writes. According to the newspaper, the Swiss-Dutch company Allseas, which is laying a gas pipeline now, can be sanctioned. Restrictions include freezing accounts and banning company employees from entering the United States.

The German authorities will decide on specific response measures after studying the information on the sanctions. Earlier, the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs called on the United States not to impose sanctions. The agency considers them to be unacceptable.