Striving for Sufficiency

The author is an assistant researcher with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations

In the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020 passed on December 20, 2019, a document titled Protecting Europe’s Energy Security authorizes the U.S. president to impose sanctions on foreign persons or entities who knowingly sell, lease or provide vessels for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, and demands all involved to stop construction in compliance.

This unilateral move brings the European Union’s (EU) energy supply and security into the spotlight. The U.S. argues that the project will increase Russia’s ability to supply natural gas to the EU, which will increase EU dependence on Russia