MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. Washington’s threat to impose sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 and the second line of the TurkStream gas pipeline projects within the framework of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) is an undue pressure on the European business and unfair competition, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

"That continues negative developments, continues the undue line on imposing various restrictions, undue pressure on the European business, which Russian companies also belong to," he said, adding that it "continues unfair competition" in an attempt "to force Europeans to buy more expensive gas under less favorable terms."

On June 4, US Senators Ted Cruz, Jeanne Shaheen and John Barrasso introduced a bill expanding sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project to the Senate, according to the statement posted on Barrasso’ website. The document clarifies that US sanctions related to Nord Stream 2 apply to vessels engaged in all pipe laying activities, as well as to those who facilitate providing those vessels, as well as to those who provide insurance, port facilities, or tethering services for those vessels, and ultimately to any company that provides certification for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to begin operations, the statement said.

The Nord Stream 2 project contemplates construction of two gas pipeline strings with the total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea. The gas pipeline is 93% complete to date. The construction was suspended at the end of 2019 when the Swiss pipe-laying company Allseas stopped work due to US sanctions.