The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will start working soon, despite what it described as American attempts to politicize it, after the United States and Germany announced that they had reached an agreement on this pipeline, while Ukraine said that the agreement did not address its security concerns.

Moscow has made clear that it has not and will not use the provision of energy resources as a weapon, and the Kremlin has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are satisfied with the imminent completion of the pipeline project.

Yesterday, the United States and Germany announced that they had reached an agreement on the gas pipeline, according to which Washington would stop its efforts to prevent the completion of the pipeline.

The agreement also stipulates that if Russia tries to use energy as a weapon, Germany will take measures, including sanctions, to limit Russia's export capabilities to Europe in the energy sector.

The two countries said - in a joint statement - that they are united in their belief that it is in the interests of Ukraine and Europe that Russian gas transit through Ukraine continues beyond 2024.

Germany also said that it would work to persuade Russia to extend the agreement to transport Russian gas through Ukraine for a period of up to 10 years, before it expires at the end of 2024.

For his part, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba said that the agreement does not address his country's security concerns, and what he considered a threat to Ukraine's security and a violation of the principle of diversity of European energy sources.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline project has long been a point of contention between Washington and Berlin, but the agreement announced Wednesday is aimed at settling matters.

The pipeline - which is about to be completed, and cost 10 billion euros - is supposed to double the supply of Russian gas to Germany, Europe's largest economy.

But the project has met with fierce opposition from the United States and many European countries, which say it would increase Russia's energy dependence and Moscow's geopolitical influence.

The pipeline project - which passes through the Baltic Sea - has also met with strong opposition from Ukraine, which has been fighting pro-Moscow separatists since 2014, and considers the transport of Russian gas through its territory a vital means of pressure.

But under the deal with the United States, Germany has pledged to retaliate against Russia if Ukraine's concerns are realized.

Also, Germany promised $1 billion to Ukraine to switch to clean energy and reduce its dependence on Russia.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin on Thursday, Merkel said that although sanctions are on the table if Russia uses the pipeline for political gain, "I hope we don't need them."

"The Russian side said... that it will not use energy as a weapon, let's believe them," she added.

Merkel also stressed the importance of keeping channels of communication open with Moscow after the failure of her recent efforts to hold an EU summit with Russia.

She added that even in "complex and difficult situations", we must "continue the dialogue and try to find solutions."