Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, Dmytro Razumkov says that it is necessary to prevent the completion of Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.
He announced on a TV channel, an UNIAN correspondent reported.
Read alsoUkraine's Naftogaz, MPs call on U.S. to retain sanctions on Nord Stream 2
When asked if the Ukrainian authorities had a plan in case of completion of Nord Stream 2 to safeguard the country's interests, Razumkov replied that one should always have a fallback.
"We must always have Plan B. And knowing our northern neighbors, we must also have Plan C. But objectively, the primary task facing all branches of power today, Ukraine's politicians, is to make sure that the Nord Stream 2 cannot be completed," he stressed.
Previous developments
- The Joe Biden Administration has waived sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, the corporate entity in charge of the construction of Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline into Germany, and its CEO Matthias Warnig, dubbed by media as an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the Department of State on May 19, 2021, submitted a report to Congress pursuant to the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act (PEESA), as amended, listing four vessels, five entities, and one individual involved in construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, including Nord Stream 2 AG and the company's CEO Matthias Warnig. Persons identified in the report are subject to sanctions pursuant to PEESA unless waived.
- As a result of such sanctions on the entities listed in the PEESA report, the four vessels listed in the report and nine additional vessels owned or controlled by the Federal State Budgetary Institution Marine Rescue Service that are involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline's construction, will also be subject to sanctions.
Nord Stream 2: Background
- The Nord Stream 2 project envisages the construction and operation of two gas pipeline branches with a total throughput capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. It should connect Russia's Ust-Lug and Germany's Greifswald.
- This new pipeline bypassing Ukraine is to be built next to the existing Nord Stream 1 pipeline. The construction of the pipeline was expected to be completed before the end of 2019. The pipeline will be 1,220 km long.
- Russia's natural gas giant Gazprom is the founder of Nord Stream 2 AG.
- The project is being financed by European companies – France's ENGIE, Austria's OMV, Royal Dutch Shell, as well as Germany's Uniper and Wintershall.
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Ukraine stands against the construction of Nord Stream 2 as it will most likely lose its status of a gas transit country, while its potential revenue losses are estimated at US$3 billion annually. The project is also highly criticized by the U.S., Poland, and the Baltic States.
- The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has already been completed by more than 90%.
- The United States has imposed a series of sanctions on Nord Stream 2 and has repeatedly called on European allies and private companies to stop the related works.
- On January 7, 2021, a fund was established in Germany to support the completion of the Nord Stream 2 project.
- Eighteen companies have already refused to participate in the project or are planning to do so because of the sanctions.
- On February 6, 2021, Nord Stream 2 AG announced it would continue to lay the pipes as part of the project.
- On March 14, 2021, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans said that Europe did not need the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Despite this, Germany continues to insist on the completion of the project.
- On March 19, 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the companies involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 to immediately halt laying pipes, threatening new sanctions.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline a trap for all countries across Europe.
- On April 20, 2021, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Ukraine should remain a transit country for Russian gas to Europe, despite Germany's decision to complete the construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
- In early May, Germany's Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) and Deutsche Umwelthilfe (Environmental Action Germany) filed a lawsuit with the Hamburg Administrative Court against the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Germany's exclusive economic zone.
- On May 17, 2021, Germany allowed the construction of Nord Stream 2 to continue in its waters.