US officials have warned that Washington could impose sanctions on the undersea Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The US and some EU nations oppose it, warning it would increase Europe’s energy dependence on Russia.
The US is also interested in selling more of its liquefied natural gas in Europe.
Speaking on Wednesday after talks with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Putin noted that Bulgaria caved in to pressure and dumped the Russian South Stream pipeline.
He added that Russia doesn’t want “the whole of Europe to look like Bulgaria, demonstrating its weakness and inability to protect its national interests”.