Germany today accused Washington of hurting European power companies through its new sanctions against Russia that target the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Europe.<br/>'<br/><br/>The new measures, approved by the US Senate on Thursday, include a threat to penalise companies that provide "goods, services, technology, information or support" for the construction of Russian energy export pipelines.<br/>'<br/>Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said Berlin noted that this would directly impact European companies involved in the construction of 2 gas pipeline which would pump Russian gas under the Baltic Sea directly to Germany.<br/><br/><br/>''''''<br/>