Germany supports the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, but reaffirms its task of preserving gas transit through Ukraine, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
“I made it clear once again that our task is to maintain Ukraine’s status as a transit partner (for gas). Our agreement with the United States is aimed at this “… We said that we support Nord Stream 2,” TASS quotes her.
The topic of maintaining transit through Ukraine after the expiration of the current agreement between Moscow and Kiev will remain a priority for the future government of Germany, she added.
During talks in mid-July, US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were unable to resolve their differences over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. They agreed that Russia should not use the pipeline as a “weapon” against its neighbors and that Ukraine should not lose revenues from the transit of Russian gas. A joint statement by the United States and Germany speaks of the need to extend the transit contract between Gazprom and the Ukrainian Naftogaz after 2024 for 10 years. At the same time, the United States abandoned further sanctions against the participants in the construction of the gas pipeline.
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