Nord Stream 2 might provoke full-scale Russian offensive on Ukraine – Parl't Speaker

Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy says the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline may provoke a full-scale offensive of Russian troops to Ukraine.

"The launch of the Nord Stream 2 project may imply direct military threats that might provoke a new full-scale offensive of Russian troops on Ukraine," he said during the round table on "Reforming the national security system of Ukraine. The role of parliament," an UNIAN correspondent reports.

Parubiy recalled that on Thursday, the parliament appealed to international partners to hinder the Nord Stream 2 project implementation.

Read alsoRussia trying to hook Europe up on "gas needle" via Nord Stream 2 – GroysmanAccording to him, today the energy threat from Russia is no less dangerous than the military one.

"To my mind, the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project is an aggressive intention, desire of the Russian Federation, Putin and his entourage to have a direct influence on EU member states," the Speaker said.

Parubiy added that Russia is willing to employ "energy blackmail" to influence political processes, in particular in Europe.

He noted that Ukraine is aware of such approaches because it "has faced more than one energy attack from the Russian Federation."

According to him, Putin not only manipulated the price of gas, but "having corrupted the Ukrainian leadership, he tried to exercise full control over Ukraine's policies."

Parubiy said that Putin wants to act in the same way in Europe, and this threat is "understood not only in Ukraine."

Read alsoGas transit via Ukraine to drop by 90% once Nord Stream 2 launched – GazpromAs UNIAN reported earlier, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on April 5 called on the international community to do its utmost to ban the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

UNIAN memo. The Nord Stream 2 project involves the construction of two strings of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas a year from the Russian coast via the Baltic Sea to Germany. A new pipeline is expected to be built next to Nord Stream 1.

According to CEO of the national oil and gas company Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolyev, Nord Stream 2 in no way contributes to the diversification of gas supplies to the EU and does not provide the European Union with access to new sources of gas. Moreover, the pipeline could deprive Ukraine of transit revenue, which is expected to reach about US$3 billion by the end of 2017. The U.S. and Poland also oppose the construction of this pipeline.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko believes that those who support the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline are Russia's accomplices in its hybrid war.