Ukrainian energy expert: Nobody can stop Nord Stream-2
Nobody can stop the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. Sanctions could provoke another trade war and were a motive for negotiations, said energy expert Valentin Zemlyansky in an interview with Inforesists news outlet, when commenting on the U.S. President Donald Trump decision not to impose sanctions against Nord Stream-2.
"It is absolutely clear that these sanctions were directed not so much against Russian companies but against Germany and the EU. If introduced, they would lead to full-scale trade wars because Germany would not be silent either. It would react to this situation accordingly, and this would lead to a deterioration of trade relations between the U.S. and the EU. Therefore, I think that this decision was made to avoid such events. Most likely, the U.S. has achieved the goals it set for these negotiations. Therefore, because of this, they made such decision, "he said.
According to the expert, Ukraine originally was on the sidelines in this process. "In fact, we played the PR game. The logic of the U.S. was clear it was necessary to bargain with the EU and, accordingly, to show some muscles to their own voter. What did Ukraine get as a result? Not quite clear. Because then again, it has to deal with its problems by itself. "
At the same time, Zemlyansky noted that negotiations would help solve the problems.
"Initially I said that we should negotiate and we must find a compromise solution with both the EU and the Russian Federation. Because, unfortunately, we are a transit country and not the owners of resources. Taking into account Nord Stream-2, we are only one of the possible routes for Russian gas supplies. Therefore, our main task should have been to compete with Nord Stream-2, with the Belarusian gas transportation system, with Turkish gas supply. This task was necessary. Of course, first of all, this is a settlement of relations with the Russian Federation. Initially logic prompted to think that without a political settlement, it would be difficult to move to some decisions there, "he summed up.