The United States said Tuesday it was near a deal with Germany over concerns on Nord Stream 2, the nearly complete pipeline from Russia that Ukraine and others fear will embolden Moscow. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on a visit last week to Washington acknowledged differences with President Joe Biden but said that both agreed that Ukraine must remain a transit point for Russian gas even as Nord Stream 2 opens shortly in the Baltic Sea. “The Germans have put forward useful proposals and we have been able to make progress on steps to achieve that shared goal... to ensure that Russia cannot weaponize energy flows,” ... (full story)