By Simon Lewis
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday appointed former diplomat Amos Hochstein as a senior advisor for energy security to work on the fallout from the Russia-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline, among other energy issues, according to a statement.
The United States last month reached an agreement with Germany that sought to mitigate the risks of Russia using energy as a weapon against U.S. allies in Central and Eastern Europe as the pipeline, which will transport Russian gas to Europe, nears completion.
Washington has waived sanctions against the pipeline's operating company and its chief executive despite an outcry from countries like Ukraine, traditionally a transit route for Russian energy exports.
Hochstein, a former political advisor and lobbyist, was a special envoy for international energy affairs and an assistant secretary of state for energy resources during the President Barack Obama's tenure.
"His immediate focus will be implementation of measures to reduce the risks posed by the Nord Stream 2 pipeline... European Energy Security, and our Climate Goals," Blinken said in the statement.