The controversy over Russian gas continues to fuel debates in Europe.

Ukraine considers the controversial Russian-German gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 a "geopolitical weapon", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday, February 14, visiting Kiev, while tens of thousands Russian soldiers are still massed on the borders with Ukraine.

 "We clearly understand that this is a geopolitical weapon," Volodymyr Zelensky said during a press conference with Olaf Scholz about the pipeline, which is to deliver Russian gas to Germany bypassing Ukraine. but has not yet received the green light from Berlin to operate. 

Russia has completed construction of the pipeline, which runs under the Baltic Sea, but German regulators have yet to approve its use.

US President Joe Biden has warned he will find a way to "stop" the project if Russia invades Ukraine. 

Without mentioning Nord Stream 2 by name, Olaf Scholz said "no one should doubt Berlin's determination and readiness" to punish Russia should it attack its neighbour. 

NATO a “security guarantee” 

Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, affirmed that Ukraine's membership of NATO "would guarantee our security", a repeated request from the Ukrainian authorities fearing a military invasion by Russia. 

"We understand that NATO membership would guarantee our security and our territorial sovereignty," Volodymyr Zelensky said at the press conference. 

The Ukrainian president also described as a "big mistake" the decision of some Western countries, including the United States and Canada, to move their embassy from Kiev to western Ukraine.  

 "It's a big mistake - but it's their decision - to move some embassies to Western Ukraine... Ukraine is united and if something happens it will be everywhere," said the Ukrainian President, alongside the German Chancellor. 

Olaf Scholz also urged Russia to seize the "offers of dialogue" intended to lead to a de-escalation of the Ukrainian crisis. 

"Russia's military activities on the Ukrainian border are not understandable. There are no reasonable grounds for such a military deployment. And we call on Russia to seize existing offers of dialogue," said Olaf Scholz , on the eve of a trip to Moscow. 

With AFP

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