Russia's President Vladimir Putin says the European Union should only blame its own policies for soaring gas prices, stressing that transporting Russian gas to Europe via the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline would lower the costs.

In a statement on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a report has been sent to the Congress, designating shipping company called Transadria Ltd. and its vessel the Marlin.

Russia sends a fleet of tankers laden with some two million barrels of diesel to the US.

Washington has imposed a new round of sanctions on Russian individuals and a vessel over their involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

Republicans in the US House of Representatives urge the President Joe Biden administration to impose sanctions on companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project between Russia and Germany.

France urges Germany to scrap the multi-billion euro gas pipeline project with Russia over the Alexei Navalny case.

Germany has opposed the US invitation to Russia to rejoin the G7.

The United States is increasing pressure on European contractors to drop out of Nord Stream 2, a major Russian pipeline project, risking a further escalation of tensions with Europe, according to a report.

The Nord stream 2 pipeline is an ongoing project linking Russian natural gas to Europe, and is the extension of the original Nord stream Pipeline that was successfully constructed in 2011.

Nord Stream 2 is owned by Russia’s Gazprom, with investment from several European companies.