Europe is interested in the construction of trunk pipelines outside the territory of Ukraine, since Kiev has established itself as an unreliable partner in the issue of energy supplies. This opinion was expressed by the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, the presidential candidate of Ukraine Yevgeny Murayev.
“Tell me how they perceive Ukraine?” How is a transit country? As an unreliable supplier! Therefore, by-pass gas pipelines are in their interests, because it fully satisfies their needs and uninterrupted gas supply to the territory of the European Union, ”said Muraev on the TV channel“ OUR ”.
"Since the time of Yulia Vladimirovna (Tymoshenko. - RT ) there have been two gas wars, as a result of which Europe stood on the threshold of undersupply and freezing," he stressed.
Recall that on Monday, January 21, the second round of trilateral gas negotiations between Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission took place. As noted by the head of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, Alexander Novak, Moscow and Kiev confirmed their interest in maintaining the transit of blue fuel through Ukrainian territory after 2019, but this depends on the completion of legal disputes and the readiness of the Ukrainian gas transmission system.
At the same time, later the Deputy Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, Natalya Boyko, expressed confidence that the Russian side would have to conclude a new contract for gas transit due to the unavailability of Nord Stream 2.
It should be noted that the operator company Nord Stream 2 AG, carrying out the construction of a gas pipeline with a length of more than 1,200 km, repeatedly stressed that the project would be commissioned on time. Recall that the Nord Stream - 2 passes through the territorial waters of five countries - Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.
Earlier, the head of the Association of European Businesses, Frank Schauff, pointed out that Europe cannot refuse to import Russian gas through pipelines, as this will lead to "economic suicide."
According to political analyst Yuri Svetov, Ukrainian officials began to realize the real state of affairs and the country's perception in the European community.
“The voice of reason sounded. There are people in Ukraine who soberly assess the situation. After five years of wandering around the world with an outstretched hand, the assertion that everyone should deal with Ukraine, help it, led to an understanding of a certain part of society, as well as politicians, that Ukraine is an unreliable partner, relying only on help but not willing to bear responsibility “- he stressed.
According to him, during the tripartite talks on gas transit in Brussels, the Ukrainian side expressed the idea of Russia's obligation to continue transit, because otherwise Ukraine would lose revenue, which would also be directed to the reconstruction of the country's gas infrastructure, which would increase its “reliability” in this matter .
“But a certain part of Europeans and Ukrainian politicians also have a clear understanding - this cannot end without end. I hope that an understanding will be reached that it is necessary not to conflict, but to agree on mutually acceptable agreements, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.
- Laying the Nord Stream - 2 gas pipeline with the Pioneering Spirit vessel in the Gulf of Finland at the end of December 2018
- © Nord Stream 2 / Aksel Schmidt
"In the colonial format"
However, another strong critic of the construction of the Nord Stream - 2 gas pipeline is the United States of America.
For example, in mid-January, the US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell sent letters to German companies with the threat of possible sanctions for participating in the construction of the Nord Stream - 2.
At the same time, the Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Moravetsky, said that this project allegedly contradicted "the European rules and guarantees of security in the region." We add that the Polish state-owned company PGNiG has signed a number of long-term contracts for the supply of liquefied natural gas from the United States over the past six months.
In connection with such attacks on a business project to provide the European continent with energy resources, Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen criticized Washington’s political course.
"The administration of US President Donald Trump treats the European Union and individual EU countries as colonies," he said.
Note that the comments of the Austrian President concerned not only the main pipeline, but also the contradictions between the EU and the US regarding the withdrawal of Americans from the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan on the Iranian nuclear program.
Earlier in Germany pointed to a divergence of opinion with the United States regarding the "Nord Stream - 2". “We are in different positions, this is not new, this is known,” said Maria Adebar, a spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry.
According to political analyst Alexander Asafov, with the advent of the administration of Donald Trump, the relationship between the United States and its allies in Europe has changed dramatically.
“It can be stated that there is no longer a single West. At the same time, the United States has a clear, planned, obvious goal for economic and energy expansion. There are goals, plans, spelled out concepts, it remains only to convince the EU countries of the need to purchase liquefied gas $ 100 more. Obviously, for economic reasons, Europe is not profitable. Now, after quite lengthy persuasions, political and other pressure has gone into the course, ”the expert said.
He stressed that Washington is set to build a dialogue "in a colonial format, in the format of a vassal oath."
“European countries understand that if they do not defend their sovereignty, they will be an appendage of the United States,” Asafov said in a conversation with RT.