Washington and Berlin are discussing providing energy assistance to Kiev following the completion of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Bloomberg reported
According to the agency’s sources, Germany and the US are planning to “reduce the geopolitical benefits for Moscow” after the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is commissioned. It is noted that the main issues regarding assistance to Ukraine can be agreed before German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit to the USA, which is scheduled for July.
The USA and Germany are considering “investments to help Ukraine build its own power plants” as possible assistance. In addition, Bloomberg writes that Germany “expressed a desire to start negotiations with Russia” to consider extending the transit of Russian gas through the territory of Ukraine.
The sides also discussed the creation of a mechanism “to suspend gas supplies through Nord Stream 2″ if Russia tries to put pressure on Ukraine”. However, German officials have opposed using the pipeline as a “political weapon”. Nevertheless, the U.S. is ready to impose new sanctions on Russia if Moscow “tries to cut gas supplies to Ukraine.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline involves the construction of two pipeline routes with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year from Russia’s shores to Germany across the Baltic Sea. The USA actively opposes the construction of Nord Stream 2, as it wants to supply its own liquefied gas to Europe.
Recall that earlier Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the introduction of the Russian gas pipeline “Nord Stream – 2” will deprive Kiev “of funds to finance the Ukrainian army”.