evidence: In a May 19, 2021, statement, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that while the Biden administration opposed the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, it supported temporarily waiving sanctions on some ships and individuals associated with the company related to rescue and environmental missions. In May 2021, numerous media outlets reported that U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration would be waiving sanctions on vessels, corporate entities and the CEO of Nord Stream AG, an international consortium of five major companies overseeing the construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline into Germany. However, the administration still expressed opposition to the construction of the pipeline. [...] While the Biden administration supported waiving sanctions on some elements associated with Nord Stream AG, the administration maintained its opposition to construction of Nord Stream 2 — and that seemed at odds with statements made by Blinken during his Jan. 19 nomination hearing, when he said the administration would "do whatever we can to prevent that completion" of Nord Stream 2.