In a blow to Vladimir Putin and his European enabler, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, a Norwegian energy-regulatory company says it will suspend operations to certify the Nord Stream II gas pipeline.

The suspension was first reported by Russia’s RBC News, but DNV GL confirmed to the Washington Examiner that its action is a response to Congressional legislation passed “under the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Clarification Act… This sanctions companies providing testing, inspection or certification services to the Nord Stream II pipeline system… We are implementing a plan to wind down our verification support to the project. As the situation currently stands, DNV GL cannot issue a certificate upon the completion of the pipeline.”