The White House has announced sanctions against the creators of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which connects Russia and Germany, the BBC reported.

US President Joe Biden said that he instructed his administration to impose sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate executives.

“These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate,” Biden said in a statement.

Germany had earlier announced its decision to freeze the pipeline.