The Normandy format or other similar formats are political platforms for discussing the situation in Ukraine. This has nothing to do with such commercial projects as Nord Stream, Nord Stream 2 or gas transit through Ukraine, “he said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed on July 12 during a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Nord Stream 2 is “a great threat that skillfully hides under the guise of an economic project.” In his opinion, the gas pipeline poses a potential threat to the whole of Europe and to be discussed at the Normandy summit. Merkel then noted that Berlin takes Ukraine’s fears seriously because of the gas pipeline.
Context:
Nord Stream 2 is supposed to link Russia with Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The length of the route is over 1200 km. The construction of the gas pipeline began in 2018. Since the end of 2019, the project and the companies participating in it are under US sanctionswhich have been expanded several times.
Construction was frozen in 2019 when 93% of the gas pipeline was completed, a year later, in December 2020, construction resumed… In February 2021, Gazprom stated that intend to put Nord Stream 2 into operation this year. Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 announced completion of work on laying pipes of the first line Nord Stream 2.
The cost of the Nord Stream 2 project is € 9.9 billion, it is financed by the Russian Gazprom and five European companies: Anglo-Dutch Shell, German Wintershall and Uniper, French Engie and Austrian OMV.
The authorities of Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia consider “Nord Stream 2” a threat to Europe’s energy security. Germany insists on completion of construction.
In February 2021 it became known that 18 European companies left the gas pipeline project “Nord Stream – 2” or are at the stage of release. The reason for this was the possible new sanctions against the project from the United States.
Joe Biden’s Administration opposed construction gas pipeline, but at the end of May Biden called the introduction of new sanctions “counterproductive from the point of view of our European relations” against Nord Stream 2, since the pipeline is “practically finished.”
On May 18, Axios wrote that the United States will not impose sanctions regarding the operator of the pipeline construction – Nord Stream 2 AG. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas May 19 confirmed it… On May 21, the United States sanctioned 13 Russian vessels, two companies and one agency associated with the pipeline’s construction. but Nord Stream 2 AG is not listed.
Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on June 20 that The United States will continue to impose sanctions against Russian companiesparticipating in the construction of “Nord Stream – 2”. In the RF it is called “obstacle course on the carousel”.
Bloomberg reported on June 25 that the US and Germany are agreeing on how to strengthen Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and offset transit fees after the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
Zelensky said he considers Nord Stream 2 a weapon of Russia and as compensation for its launch Ukraine wants security guarantees and the return of the occupied territories.
– .
