President Biden, with the new German chancellor at his side, forcefully vowed Monday that a controversial new Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline would never start operations if the Kremlin invades neighboring Ukraine.
Olaf Scholz, making his first trip as chancellor to Washington since taking office in early December, in turn said Berlin stands “united” with its NATO allies in opposing Russian aggression in Ukraine, amid criticism that Berlin has been reluctant to speak out against Moscow or approve key military equipment for Kyiv. Mr. Scholz again stopped short of an ironclad commitment in case of war to abandon the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, a project that has become a symbol of the West’s readiness to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“There is a military threat against Ukraine, we cannot remain silent on that. We see a number of troops along the Ukrainian border that is a serious threat to European security and this is why it is important that we act together, stand together, and do what is necessary together,” Mr. Scholz said at a joint press conference alongside Mr. Biden.
Mr. Biden was far more emphatic that a Russia military move would kill the just-completed pipeline project, without detailing how that would come about. U.S. officials have hinted that Germany, a major importer of Russian energy, has privately agreed to quash the project if Russia invades but is hoping a diplomatic deal on Ukraine will keep it alive.
“If Russia invades — that means tanks and troops crossing the border of Ukraine again — then there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2,” Mr. Biden said. “We will bring an end to it.”
When pressed on how, Mr. Biden said, “I promise you we’ll be able to do it.”
The meeting was among several high-level talks among world leaders, who are scrambling to stop a Russian attack on its neighbor. French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to Moscow and met with Mr. Putin on Monday.
Speaking alongside Mr. Putin at the start of the meeting, Mr. Macron said dialogue with Russia was necessary to “build real security and stability.”
“I believe that our continent is today in an eminently critical situation, which requires us all to be extremely responsible,” he said.
Russia has denied that it intends to attack Ukraine, even as it demands NATO forever bar Ukraine as a member and pull back forces broadly across Eastern Europe. Pentagon officials say the build-up of Russian troops along Ukraine‘s border is the largest since the Cold War, estimating that the Russian military has massed 70% of the forces it would need for a full-scale invasion.
Mr. Biden on Monday said Russia could still pursue a diplomatic off-ramp, but did not respond to a question on how that could be accomplished.
In Moscow, Mr. Putin harshly criticized Kyiv and NATO following his meeting with Mr. Macron, but suggested the diplomatic window is wider than some have thought.
“A number of his proposals and ideas, about which it is too early to speak, I consider quite possible in order to lay a foundation for our further steps,” Mr. Putin said of Mr. Macron.
NATO allies have been calling for severe economic sanctions against Russia, but Germany has been reluctant to sign on. Berlin is fearful that forceful action could jeopardize the $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which bypasses lucrative transit routes through Ukraine and brings Russian natural gas directly to German markets.
Congressional Republicans have pressed Mr. Biden to include Nord Stream 2 in a package of sanctions imposed against Russia, arguing that it would get Germany to speak out more forcefully on the Ukraine crisis.
Coordinating the message
The trip to Washington appeared designed to counter any notion that Berlin was not on the same page as its NATO allies when it came to confronting Russia on Ukraine. The famously mild-spoken Mr. Scholz — in Germany, he has been dubbed the “Scholzomat” for his what one critic called his “mechanical, austere and laconic” speaking style — made some of his strongest comments yet on the crisis, insisting Moscow will pay a “high price” if it invades Russia.
“We’re one voice, and do things together and we made it very clear if there was military aggression against Ukraine, this will entail severe consequences that we agreed upon together,” Mr. Scholz said. “What is important is that we also intensively worked on preparing possible sanctions together. We don’t want to start once there is military aggression against Ukraine.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have slammed what they say is Germany‘s soft stance toward Russia.
Sen. Rob Portman, Ohio Republican, last month criticized Berlin for not allowing flights carrying military aid for Ukraine to fly through German airspace. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, said the Germans are “missing in action” on Ukraine.
The German ambassador in Washington last week warned Berlin that many in the U.S. view Germany as an “unreliable partner.”
On Monday, Mr. Biden vouched for Mr. Scholz, insisting that he was working in a “united effort” to scale back tensions with Russia.
“There’s no need to win back trust,” Mr. Biden said. “He has the complete trust of the United States.”
Still, the situation represents a bit of an about-face for Germany, which has been somewhat muted over Russian aggression in Ukraine. Berlin has balked at approving offensive weapons shipments to Kyiv.
Mr. Scholz again Monday refused to make any binding promises on whether Germany would halt operations on Nord Stream 2 permanently as part of Western sanctions against Russia.
The Trump administration had imposed sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 development, but Mr. Biden waived them, effectively allowing the final construction work to move forward.
At the time, Republican lawmakers slammed Mr. Biden, accusing him of strengthening Russia‘s position in Europe and giving them the ability to weaponize their energy. Russia provides about one-third of the natural gas used in Europe.