Biden to halt gas pipeline if Russia invades Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would be halted if Russia invades Ukraine and stressed unity with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as the West rallies to avert a war in Europe. This report produced by Tamara Lindstrom.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline would be halted if Russia invades Ukraine and stressed unity with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as the West rallies to avert a war in Europe.

After a meeting with Scholz in Washington Monday, Biden said Russian forces crossing into Ukraine would trigger a shutdown of the decade-old pipeline project from Russia to Germany.

BIDEN: "If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it."

Scholz said the United States and Germany had the same approach to Ukraine, Russia and sanctions, but did not directly confirm the Nord Stream 2 plans.

Whether the U.S. and Germany are on the same page over the $11 billion project has become a crucial question as the two major democracies lead NATO allies in pushback against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia has amassed some 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border. It denies it is planning an invasion, but U.S. officials say an attack could occur within days or weeks.

Scholz told reporters Russia would pay a very high price if it invaded Ukraine.

SCHOLZ: "We will be united. We will act together. And we will take all the necessary steps."

Biden and Scholz emphasized that they preferred diplomacy as a solution.

In Moscow Monday, French President Emmanual Macron held more than five hours of talks over dinner with Vladimir Putin, telling the Russian President he wishes to avoid war and build trust.

Putin said the talks were useful.

PUTIN (Russian):"The President preferred to come to Russia to share opinions about what we should do next. And some of his ideas and proposals, about which I think are too early to speak, but I think these ideas could form a basis for our further joint steps."

The pair are set to speak again following Macron's visit to Ukraine this week.

 

 

 

REUTERS