In recent testimony before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Geoffrey Pyatt, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy, outlined Washington’s stance on Arctic LNG 2. He indicated that the U.S. aims to end the Arctic LNG 2 project and cited the discussion as part of a broader policy review aimed at energy security and allied coordination in the region. The remarks were summarized from an official account of the hearing reported by RIA News, reflecting the administration’s position on limiting the project’s progress.
During the same session, it was noted that the United States had recently imposed new sanctions targeting Arctic LNG 2. An unnamed American official described the measures as a deliberate effort to impede the project’s development, signaling a strategic move to constrain activity linked to this energy initiative.
Geoffrey Payette, another senior official, stressed that the Department of State is actively pursuing additional steps to increase pressure on the project. He noted that these efforts are being coordinated closely with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to ensure a cohesive and comprehensive enforcement approach across related entities and activities.
Earlier reports referenced sanctions affecting other actors in the energy and metals sector. British authorities were reported to have placed sanctions on Nord Gold, a mining company involved in gold production, and Krastsvetmet, a metallurgical firm engaged in precious stone extraction, signaling a broader pattern of actions impacting key players in the minerals economy.
The sanctions list also included the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMMC), which has operations in gold and precious metals, along with Highland Gold, a company active in gold mining. This pattern suggests a coordinated effort to target various links within the supply chains connected to critical energy and mineral resources on an international scale.
Previously, the United States Treasury extended its sanctions regime related to Russia, reinforcing the broader strategy of using financial controls to influence policy and economic activity tied to the Arctic LNG 2 project and related sectors. The ongoing policy developments underscore a persistent approach to sanctions as a tool of foreign policy, aimed at shaping outcomes in strategic energy markets and allied efforts across multinational forums.