Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Priestayko hinted that Germany could allegedly become energy dependent on Russia due to the Nord Stream 2 trans-Baltic pipeline He stated this in an interview with the German Internet portal Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND)
“You Germans are now building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline along the Baltic Sea to make the gas supply that previously passed through Ukraine more independent. But remember: Russia remains a source of gas. If the Russians do not want to supply gas anymore, the Baltic Sea pipelines will immediately be empty, ”Pristayko said.
At the same time, he made it clear that if gas was pumped through Ukraine, such a situation could supposedly be avoided, since the Ukrainian side would have “full storage” for this. In addition, Kiev “guarantees” the supply of fuel through the country.
According to experts, statements by Ukrainian officials that Russia allegedly might “not want to” supply gas do not have any evidence. Moscow has long established itself as a reliable supplier of fuel. This, in particular, in an interview with RT, said First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Energy Igor Ananskikh.
“Unfortunately, our Ukrainian friends are always talking about the same thing. One must understand that for many decades there has never been a disruption in gas supplies from Russia to Europe. Therefore, it’s silly to talk about some kind of energy dependence. This is irrelevant, this has been said dozens of times, and this has never been confirmed, ”he stressed.
According to him, Russian gas is the most advantageous solution to the issue of energy supplies for European countries.
“Ukrainian comrades need to do real things to improve the lives of Ukrainians, and not think about the lives of Europeans,” the deputy added.
In turn, an expert of the National Energy Security Fund, a teacher at the Financial University under the Government of Russia, Stanislav Mitrakhovich drew attention to the words of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister about the “guarantees” of gas supplies. He noted that Ukraine is only a transit country for Russian fuel.
“Ukraine is trying to counteract gas bypass pipelines, this is understandable. But she missed a time when it was possible to convince these countries that it was Ukraine, and not Russia, that could be a key partner in this matter. The very fact that Germany agreed to the Nord Stream 2 project already shows that Russia still has a higher priority partner for energy issues, ”the source said.
Nord Stream 2 represents two pipelines of a gas pipeline with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year, which pass through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of five countries - Russia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Germany.
In Ukraine, they constantly criticize the Nord Stream 2 AG project. According to the press service of the Ukrainian company Naftogaz, the agreement to continue the transit of Russian gas through Ukrainian territory, reached in December between Kiev and Moscow, is a "screen to save Nord Stream - 2."
In addition, the Ukrainian side expressed the hope that the construction of the pipeline would not be completed, since the United States of America introduced sanctions against the project.
However, the head of the Ministry of Energy of Russia, Alexander Novak, has already stated that the pipe laying will be completed. According to him, the gas pipeline from Russia to Europe will be launched before the end of 2020. The delay is due to the fact that a number of European companies that participated in the project were forced to refuse further cooperation in order not to fall under US restrictive measures.
Meanwhile, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, noted that she does not understand the US involvement in this issue, since this is a “European affair”.
“In any case, such steps do not remain without reciprocity. How and when this will be done is a question, rather, of Russia's national interests. When it will be in a great way in line with national interests, ”explained the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov.
Not only Russia is opposed to Washington’s restrictive measures against European companies participating in the Nord Stream 2 AG project. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has strongly condemned US economic restrictions in relation to "European companies that legally participate in various projects." German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz called Washington’s actions unacceptable, since they constitute “gross interference in the internal affairs” of Germany and the whole of Europe.