NicuBivol

Holy fucking shit! This must be STOPPED!! "Polar LNG is an American company with a bald eagle and a flag on its website, promising that it “helps ensure the United States leads” and calling itself “America’s Arctic Advantage.” Its plan is to liquefy natural gas on Alaska’s North Slope and ship it to Asia. The New York Times found that at least some of its money came secretly from Novatek, a Russian energy giant under partial U.S. sanctions with close ties to Putin. The man who ran the company said so. Joel Riddle, Polar LNG’s CEO until September, said he was told the startup money came from a company in the United Arab Emirates and later learned otherwise. “It’s not only unlawful, but it’s not in the U.S. interest to have Russian technology controlling the commercialization of Arctic gas in the North Slope,” he said. Novatek is no longer hiding it. The company told the Times on Friday that it’s moving to acquire “minority shareholder” status in the project: a sanctioned Russian firm openly seeking a stake in American gas production. Putin discussed the project last month with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s envoys, as one of several energy deals the White House believes could smooth relations with Moscow and help end the war in Ukraine. The Times found no indication Witkoff or Kushner knew about Polar LNG or its Novatek ties. The sanctions that would block it carry a familiar name. The Graham Act specifically targets Novatek and its Arctic LNG 2 project because of the company’s ties to Putin. Trump waived those sanctions last week, calling it necessary to keep peace talks going. Riddle didn’t leave quietly. He attached memos from the law firm Baker Botts to his resignation letter, noting that Treasury’s sanctions unit had already raised “potential Russia-related sanctions concerns” about the company’s Novatek ties. At least two other top executives have also left, and Trump officials were warned about the secret Russian financing and urged to investigate. The Energy Department didn’t respond to the Times. Polar LNG went after him. The company called Riddle a “disgruntled former employee,” said he was “terminated for cause,” and threatened litigation. Documents show he resigned six days before that termination letter, which cited, in part, his sanctions concerns. “It is terrible on environmental grounds, it is a terrible idea on economic and geopolitical grounds, and most importantly this feeds the belief that Putin can get an out-of-jail-free card,” said Geoffrey Pyatt, a former State Department energy official. Russian money in an American company, Russian technology on the Alaskan seabed, a Russian stake in American gas, discussed with Putin by the Trump’s envoys, and a sanctions waiver Trump signed weeks before an election." BREAKING: A Demoralized Trump White House Is Already Preparing for Defeat reallyamerican.substack.com/…