Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised Ukraine support so that the country will remain a transit country for Russian gas to the west after 2024.
"Germany and France have the same position that Ukraine must remain an energy transit country," she said on Monday evening before a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj in the Chancellery in Berlin.
She will also speak to US President Joe Biden on Thursday on the subject.
But she doesn't believe that the papers on how this can be guaranteed will be “completely finished”.
However, Russia knows very well that the gas transit through Ukraine is also decisive for Germany in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline through the Baltic Sea.
“I keep my promises.
And that also applies to every other German Chancellor, ”she emphasized.
Selenskyj wants to bring the USA to the negotiating table
Zelenskyi reiterated his country's position that the completion of Nord Stream 2 is seen as a strategic threat.
The pipeline is intended to transport more Russian gas to Western Europe.
Ukraine fears, among other things, the loss of transit fees, but also a Russian gas blockade if the Baltic Sea pipeline should go into operation.
Selenskyj demanded guarantees not only from Russia, but also from the EU, Germany and France.
In addition, the Ukrainian President would like the USA to pay more attention to resolving the conflict with Russia.
Selenskyj said on Monday evening in Berlin after a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel that he would raise the issue with US President Joe Biden.
The Chancellor criticized Russia for repeatedly breaking agreements with Ukraine. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers died again on the demarcation line to eastern Ukraine, which is controlled by pro-Russian separatists. The fact that Russia annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014 and helped the separatists was a "shock". Zelenksyj said that one had to keep putting pressure on Russia so that another Normandy meeting could take place.
In this context, Germany and France are trying to negotiate between the conflicting parties Russia and Ukraine and to achieve that the provisions of the Minsk Agreement of 2014 are implemented. "We will continue to do everything we can to help our friendly Ukraine on the path that it is on in terms of relations with the EU," said Merkel. “Germany will continue to work. I think that will be continued by every new government, ”she added with a view to her impending resignation as Chancellor and the general elections. Zelenskyi said Germany was one of his country's main supporters.