Germany seeks to strengthen position in Europe due to Nord Stream 2 – diplomat

REUTERS Germany has the opportunity to significantly strengthen its positions in the European Union through the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project, according to Ukraine&#39;s permanent representative to the Council of Europe, Dmytro Kuleba. "Germany has an opportunity to significantly strengthen its position by implementing the Nord Stream 2, to strengthen it within Europe. And although Angela Merkel is personally a big supporter of the idea of a united Europe and Germany is the locomotive of the European Union, national interests are also important in issues like that. It&#39;s obvious that in this fight, the Germans weigh prospects and political math of the U.S. project and Russian proposals. For some reason, of which we&#39;re perhaps not fully aware, think, they believe the Russian proposal is more tempting ... Now it is not even about these calculations at all. Now it&#39;s about making sure that Eastern Europe has clear guarantees of the prospects of how its political interests will be protected in case Nord Stream 2 is implemented. This should be economic guarantees in the form of contracts," Kuleba told TV Channel 5. Read alsoRussia-Ukraine natural gas spat makes cutting EU fossil fuel use urgent: European CommissionHe also stressed that Ukraine has been raising the issue of Nord Stream-2 at all levels. "In particular, next week, the EU General Assembly will meet in Strasbourg, where the question of Nord Stream 2 will be voiced as well. Ukraine is organizing a special event," said Kuleba. UNIAN memo. The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction of two gas pipeline lines with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year, The lines are to be laid down from the Russian coast to Germany along the Baltic Sea bottom. The new pipeline is planned to be built next to the already existing Nord Stream 1. The construction of the gas pipeline should begin in 2018 and be completed by the end of 2019. The line will be 1,220 km long. Read alsoAnother lawsuit filed against Gazprom: Naftogaz set to enforce debtUkraine is fiercely opposing the construction of Nord Stream 2. According to earlier estimates by Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev, Nord Stream 2 does not contribute to diversification of gas supplies to the European Union and does not provide it with access to new energy sources. On April 5, 2018, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine called on the international community to do everything possible to ban the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline bypassing Ukraine.

Germany seeks to strengthen position in Europe due to Nord Stream 2 – diplomat

Please Subscribe For Full Access

UNIAN Web subscription