Merkel: Ukraine must remain a gas transit country
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a joint press statement saying that they discussed the transit of gas to the European Union through Ukraine in the Meseberg meeting, Interfax reported on Saturday, August 18.
"In the context of Ukraine, we also talked about the transit of gas. I believe that even after the launch of the Nord Stream-2, Ukraine must continue to play its role in gas transit to Europe." I am very pleased that we managed to begin the negotiation process on this topic together with the European Union, "said Merkel.
In his turn, Putin stressed that the Nord Stream-2 is an exclusively economic project and he "does not close the possibility of continuing transit supplies of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine."
"I know the position of the Federal Chancellor as she constantly raises this issue. I want to note that the main thing is that this Ukrainian transit, which is traditional for us, would correspond with economic requirements and be economical in all senses of the word,” summed up Putin.
The previous day, Merkel said that we should not expect breakthrough results from the negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to her, "this is a working meeting."
Earlier reports stated that Germany received permission to build the North Stream-2 branch. Gascade Gastransport GmbH received permission from the regulator of the federal state of Brandenburg to build the EUGAL gas pipeline on its 272-kilometer section territory. This gas pipeline is a land diversion from the Northern Stream-2 offshore mainline.