US may impose sanctions against Nord Stream 2

Washington may announce further sanctions against the Russian Federation as soon as Wednesday, including against a key gas pipeline.

According to Bloomberg, which cited people familiar with the matter, the new sanctions were expected to be applied to Nord Stream 2 AG, the company that built the $11bn natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

New penalties on more members of Russia's elite would also imposed, limiting where they could do business and travel to.

Earlier, US deputy national security adviser, Daleep Singh, suggested that the US and its allies would continue to impose costs on Russia even if Moscow took no further action in Ukraine.

He did not specify any timing.

When asked by CNN whether new sanctions would be enacted even if Moscow did not cross that line, Singh said: "No. Costs continue to ratchet higher. The violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and its sovereignty are unacceptable."

Regarding a call from Ukraine's foreign minister to "hit" Russia with more sanctions now, Singh said: "Sometimes I wonder if there's almost a bloodlust out there for sanctions as an end to themselves. But let me just be really clear. We did hit hard yesterday."

Singh then clarified that he was referring to the media and not Ukraine's minister.

"No, no I’m not saying that. I’m saying I hear from questions out there and commentary."

Regarding the current military situation, the adviser said that Russia was still "poised and positioned to launch a major invasion, a large scale invasion across much of the territory of Ukraine, from the north, from the east, and from the south, that has not changed."