Ukraine is initiating consultations with the European Commission and the German government to develop a mechanism that will ensure the energy security of the Ukrainian state. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a statement to the media following talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Kyiv.
The President noted that during his meeting with the German Chancellor, significant attention was paid to the issue of Europe's energy security and, in particular, the threats posed by the Nord Stream 2 project.
"We are considering this project solely through the prism of security. We consider it a dangerous geopolitical weapon of the Kremlin," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
According to him, it is important for Ukraine to have a clear international legal mechanism that will guarantee security and become an effective safeguard against Russian military aggression.
"According to the Association Agreement, we have initiated holding consultations with the European Commission and the Government of Germany in the near future," the President said.
He noted that even today, when Nord Stream 2 has not yet been completed, it is clear who controls gas prices in Europe and their growth.
"That's why I don't think it's just an economic issue. And the completion of Nord Stream 2, and then its implementation and use will lead to great risks. I believe that this will benefit the Russian Federation only," Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
For her part, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel supported the need to continue cooperation between Ukraine and Germany in the field of energy. She said that Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier would arrive in Ukraine tomorrow to take part in important talks.
Angela Merkel noted that Germany wants to extend the agreement on gas transit through Ukraine after 2024 as soon as possible, which she emphasized during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"After 2024, we will export gas from Russia to Europe, and it is important that Ukraine remains a transit country and that this agreement is extended," she said.
The Federal Chancellor also stressed that Germany and the United States share the view that gas cannot be used as a weapon. According to her, Nord Stream 2 will operate within the European legal framework, in particular the Third Energy Package, and if Russia tries to use this pipeline as a weapon, the issue of sanctions will be raised.
