Ukraine's Rada urges international community to ban construction of Nord Stream 2

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on April 4 called on the international community to do its utmost to ban the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

The appeal on the inadmissibility of the Nord Stream 2 project implementation and establishment of Russia's monopoly on global markets was backed by 266 MPs, an UNIAN correspondent reported.

Read alsoNaftogaz to start recovery of US$2.6 bln debt from Russia's Gazprom in AprilIn particular, the Verkhovna Rada called on parliaments and governments of states and the global business community "to make every effort to completely and irreversibly ban the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and refuse from involvement in the preparation, financing of or lobbying for this project."

The document also stipulates urgent consultations between the Government of Ukraine and the European Commission regarding the prevention of the gas pipeline construction, under Article 274 of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union and Article 6 of the Energy Community Treaty.

The Verkhovna Rada calls for the extension of all personal and sectoral sanctions on Russia's gas monopoly Gazprom and affiliated entities imposed over the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.

Read alsoGas transit via Ukraine to drop by 90% once Nord Stream 2 launched – GazpromThe Ukrainian Parliament urges to take regulatory, infrastructural and other measures (in particular, within the Energy Community) for a reliable, sustainable reduction of Russian enterprises' monopoly influence on the energy markets in Europe, Central Asia, Far East, and the rest of the world.

The document states that on March 1, 2018, the international community witnessed Gazprom's impudent and cynical pressure on European consumers. The Russian gas monopoly suddenly, without warning, refused to supply gas to Ukraine's domestic market, ignoring contractual obligations. This unlawful move inflicted significant economic losses on the National Joint-Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine, created real risks of destabilization of Ukraine's energy sector, and posed a threat of termination of gas transit to the European Union amid severe frosts.

The appeal notes that Gazprom is fully controlled by the Russian Government, which continues armed aggression against Ukraine, occupied part of the country's sovereign territory, and organized systemic repression against civilians in the occupied territories.

It is noted that the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project on the territory of the European Union is ongoing. The unconditional result will be the establishment of Russia's absolute monopoly in the European gas market. "Thus, the consequences of the Nord Stream 2 project will go beyond the scope of commerce or the internal affairs of the EU. They will lead to economic and political destabilization of the whole Europe, and then the planet," reads the document.