Poroshenko: Nord Stream 2 "political bribe" for Germany's loyalty to Russia

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko warned Germany against the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and called the project "a political bribe for loyalty to Russia."

"Excuse my harsh words, but the Nord Stream 2 is a political bribe for loyalty to Russia," the Ukrainian president said in an interview with the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Deutsche Welle reports.

Poroshenko called Moscow "an extremely unreliable partner" and said that the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project would lead to an economic and energy blockade of Ukraine, which would cause "huge damage" to the country.

Read alsoEuropean Commission not to support Nord Stream 2 – EC energy officialThe gas pipeline has no economically justified basis, while gas transit via Ukraine will be much cheaper for Germany and can be easily and profitably modernized, Poroshenko assures.

"Just ask us, instead of investing ten billion euros in Nord Stream 2," the president said.

As reported earlier, on March 27, the Russian company Nord Stream 2 AG received permission to build and operate the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the German exclusive economic zone.

Earlier, a number of countries spoke out against the project.

Read alsoGas transit via Ukraine to drop by 90% once Nord Stream 2 launched – GazpromIn Vilnius, the leaders of parliaments of Poland, Lithuania and Latvia signed a letter with a warning about the dangers of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, addressed to the heads of parliaments of European countries.

Later, Estonia also came forward against the Nord Stream 2.

Subsequently, Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki called the project "extremely dangerous."

On March 21, EU lawmakers adopted a draft rule that extends domestic market laws to gas pipelines laid beyond the EU territory, including the planned Nord Stream 2.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that Germany's decision to build a land section of the Nord Stream 2 was expected and Ukraine could not influence it.

Later, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko called the supporters of the Nord Stream 2 accomplices of Moscow in a hybrid war.