Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that through the mediation of US President Donald Trump, he will be able to resolve the issue of the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline in favor of Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader said this on July 6, during a visit to Lviv.

“The only solution to this issue is that I will have a meeting in the United States with the President of the United States. This is the only person who, I am sure, will resolve this issue in the direction of Ukraine, ”he said.

Speaking about the position of European countries, the Ukrainian president stressed that the question of building the Nord Stream - 2 was “resolved a long time ago, a long time ago,” just like the recent return of Russia to PACE.

“Nobody asks us. I think that neither Mrs. Merkel nor Mr. Macron will influence the continuation of the construction of the Nord Stream. Since they are influenced by local business, they cannot do anything about it, ”said Zelensky.

Recall, on June 17, the President of Ukraine met in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron, and the next day in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. During a briefing with the German leader, Zelensky noted that the position of Ukraine regarding the implementation of the Nord Stream - 2 is “diametrically different” from the German one. Berlin supports the implementation of the main gas pipeline, while Kiev traditionally opposes the project, which will allow supplying gas to Europe bypassing Ukraine.

The Nord Stream - 2 gas pipeline with a throughput of 55 billion cubic meters. meters of gas per year should begin to work at the end of 2019. The largest European companies take part in its construction, including the French ENGIE, the Austrian OMV, the British-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell and the German Uniper and Wintershall.

In turn, Kiev, as the Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Andrei Melnik noted in an interview with the German newspaper Freie Presse on the eve, fears that gas transit through its territory will stop after the gas pipeline is commissioned. In this case, according to him, the Ukrainian budget is not enough $ 3 billion a year, which will destroy the "success of growth in recent years."

Gesture of despair

Earlier, the US representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said that in the US they are waiting for Zelensky’s visit. However, he clarified that "the date has not yet been set."

On June 12, at a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, US leader Donald Trump threatened to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 participants and invited Europeans to buy American liquefied gas.

  • American LNG tanker in the Polish port of Swinoujscie
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  • © Agencja Gazata / Cezary Aszkielowicz

At the end of June, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives approved a bill on sanctions against participants in the Nord Stream 2 project and the Turkish Stream allegedly in the interests of Europe’s energy security.

As Ukrainian political analyst and economist Oleksandr Dudchak noted in an interview with RT, “Zelensky’s call for Trump rather resembles a vassal’s request for a seigneur” and is based on a lack of understanding of the motivations of the Americans ’opposition to Nord Stream 2, which differ from those motivated by Ukraine.

“Zelensky’s appeal to Trump is a very naive gesture that expresses Kiev’s despair. - There is no sense in him, - said Dudchak in an interview with RT. - The United States is really opposed to the construction of the Nord Stream 2. But it's not only that. The United States is not interested in the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine. The strategic goal of the Americans is to fill up Europe with their own gas. ”

According to the RT source in the Popular Front party, in order to get the Americans ’favor, the Ukrainian president can promise Trump to give the American gas transportation system to American investors.

"Zelensky expects to transfer the" pipe "to the Americans. But I do not think that this will change anything, ”the deputy said RT.

You can forget about the previous transit volumes.

According to experts, the United States is constantly talking about the need to counter the "Nord Stream - 2". Moreover, the president of the United States has, since 2017, the right to impose sanctions against Russian energy projects under the Law on Counteracting the Opponents of the United States through Sanctions (CAATSA).

However, despite numerous statements by the White House about the alternative Russian American “gas of freedom” and the need to counter Russia in the energy sector, Trump did not take advantage of this right.

According to the senior researcher of the Institute of the USA and Canada, Vladimir Batiuk, the United States and so have taken all possible measures to stop construction.

“Apparently, the United States has exhausted the resources for sanctions pressure on both Russia and Europe. We must not forget that globalization is not an empty word. Restrictive measures that are introduced by the Americans have a negative impact on their own economy. The United States began to realize that by tightening the sanctions, they could quietly shoot themselves in the leg, ”said Batyuk in a conversation with RT.

At the same time, according to the expert, as a result, the United States will have to de facto recognize the right of the Nord Stream to exist.

“But if something incredible happens, and Washington will nevertheless accept a certain new package of sanctions on Nord Stream 2, then this will certainly not be done with Zelensky’s submission,” the political scientist believes.

In turn, the source RT in the Ukrainian party “Self-help” believes that Zelensky’s statements about the conversation with Trump are pre-election promises that are unlikely to be fulfilled.

“In a few weeks, parliamentary elections will be held in Ukraine, and the new president needs to show himself as a“ strong leader. ” Donald Trump will not conflict with the EU because of a country as weak as Ukraine. Therefore, such statements have nothing to do with reality and are designed for an audience within the country, ”the source said.

According to Andrei Dudchak, Zelensky is very likely to accept the fact that Nord Stream 2 cannot be stopped, and he hopes that the Americans will contribute to maintaining a certain amount of fuel pumping through the Ukrainian gas transport system after the launch of the gas pipeline.

  • © nord-stream2.com

“Most likely, a certain amount of blue fuel will pass through the Ukrainian gas transport system, but Kiev may forget about the previous transit volumes and, apparently, forever,” the political scientist believes.

European interest

On the eve of the famous French expert, former employee of the General Directorate of the Treasury of France Sebastian Koshar on the pages of the newspaper L'Opinion called the "Nord Stream - 2" reliable route for the supply of gas to Europe in the face of uncertainty with the transit through Ukraine. According to the French expert, the Naftogaz dispute with Gazprom over the terms of transporting Russian gas to the EU countries threatens the “old continent” with an energy crisis. France, he said, can help Moscow and Kiev reach a compromise, but in the future it will need to look for more stable solutions, part of which will be Nord Stream 2.

In Germany, they are also in no hurry to abandon the international gas project, despite threats from the United States and the offer of liquefied natural gas by the Americans. Repeated statements on this score were made by both representatives of the German government and German businessmen. As the head of Gazprom Alexei Miller noted at the end of June, even the absence of permission from Denmark for laying a gas pipeline is not critical, and the project will be implemented on time.

“Petro Poroshenko raised the issue of“ Nord Stream - 2 ”several times at meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and even threatened to intensify the conflict with Russia after its launch, but this did not work. The economic benefits from the implementation of this project are much higher, which is why Kiev’s statements were ignored, ”a source in the European Solidarity party (the Petro Poroshenko’s party - RT ) told RT, adding that after some time we can expect cooling in relations between Ukraine and the EU.

Statements by Vladimir Zelensky that Ukraine "nobody asks" Ukraine sounded against the background of worsening relations between Kiev and the EU countries, most of which voted for Russia's return to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as the summit scheduled for July 8 in Kiev Ukraine — EU.

Thus, on June 25, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Pavel Klimkin, said that the restoration of Russia's rights in PACE is a signal of the Europeans ’mood of“ new normality ”in relations with Moscow. In his opinion, this position is shared by "a good half, and even more European countries and politicians." The head of Ukrainian diplomacy also said that in the near future, European countries could begin to resolve issues of "Donbass and energy independence, for example, gas transit, at our expense."

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  • © Valentyn Ogirenko

“After the collapse of the USSR, in the eyes of Europe, Ukraine gained the status of a transit country that cannot be trusted. Europe is tired of constant scandals over stolen gas. "Nord Stream - 2" - an attempt to finally get rid of such cooperation. This is pure pragmatics, - notes Andrey Dudchak. - But at the same time, the EU is trying to distance itself from Kiev politically. I think that Europe regretted that it supported Maidan, as a result of which boors and clowns came to power, not hesitating to arrange provocations and hysterics in PACE. ”

Source RT from the entourage of the new Ukrainian president connects his hopes of meeting with Trump with the disappointment of Europe’s position.

“Vladimir Zelensky thought that the EU would support him in PACE. But the Russian delegation was returned, Zelensky was accused of failing work in the international arena, the new president had to defend himself. This fact is very disappointing. Now he places great hopes on a meeting with Donald Trump, ”a source surrounded by the president explained in a conversation with RT.

However, according to Vladimir Batyuk, the United States will not rush to save Ukraine if, as a result of Kiev’s actions, gas transit through the country stops completely.

“I doubt that the Americans will provide Kiev with economic support after the fall of the transit volumes of Russian gas, and without the blue fuel, the“ aggressor ”will have a hard time for Ukraine,” the political analyst concluded.