Germany and Austria have castigated new American sanctions on Russia that target Moscow’s controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe, describing them as an illegal threat to EU energy security.
德国和奥地利严厉批评美国对俄罗斯的新制裁措施,这些措施针对通向欧洲的有争议的北溪-2 (Nord Stream 2)输气管道。这两个欧洲国家形容美国此举对欧盟的能源安全构成了非法威胁。
Sending a strong message to Moscow, the US Senate on Wednesday voted 97-2 to approve measures that toughen existing sanctions on Moscow and create new restrictions that target companies which support Russian “energy export pipelines”.
美国参议院周三向莫斯科方面发出强烈信号,以97票对2票通过对俄制裁措施,一方面加大现有制裁,另一方面增加了一些新的限制,拟打击那些支持俄罗斯“能源出口管道”的公司。
In a joint statement on Thursday, Berlin and Vienna said the amendment heralded a “new and very negative quality in European-American relations”.
柏林和维也纳周四发表联合声明,称这项修正案“在欧美关系中引入了一个非常消极的新元素”。
The Senate move threatens to break a delicate transatlantic consensus on Russia sanctions orchestrated by Chancellor Angela Merkel, which has until now excluded Russia’s export pipelines partly because they involved key German interests.
美国参议院的行动有可能在对俄制裁问题上打破微妙的跨大西洋共识,这种共识是由德国总理安格拉·默克尔(Angela Merkel)策划的,此前它排除了俄罗斯的出口管道,部分原因就是它们涉及德国的关键利益。
t adds to the conflicts between Washington and Berlin that have developed since DonaldTrump’s election, following the new US president’s attacks on Germany’s defence spending andtrade surplus, and his criticisms of global economic co-operation.
此举也增加了自唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)当选以来华盛顿与柏林之间的冲突。此前美国总统抨击了德国的国防开支和贸易顺差,还批评了全球经济合作。
“Europe's energy supply is a matter for Europe, not the United States of America,” said thestatement, issued by Sigmar Gabriel, German foreign minister, and Austrian chancellorChristian Kern.
“欧洲的能源供应是欧洲、而不是美国的事情,”由德国外长西格马尔?加布里尔(Sigmar Gabriel)和奥地利总理克里斯蒂安·科安(Christian Kern)发表的这份声明表示。
Ms Merkel is likely to be more cautious of criticising the Senate proposal as she has long beenwary of the Nord Stream project, which is strongly opposed by Poland and other easternEuropean EU allies.
默克尔在批评美国参议院的提案时很可能会更加谨慎,因为她长期对北溪项目抱有戒心,该项目受到波兰以及欧盟在东欧的盟国的强烈反对。