Merkel on Nord Stream 2: Some gas should be still supplied via Ukraine

Ukraine should not lose its transit status due to implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project. Gas should be partially transported through its territory.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this during a joint briefing with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We talked about it and, of course, we took the opinion of the President of Ukraine on this issue into account. We also discussed the Nord Stream 2 with the president of Russia and expressed concern of Ukraine. Of course, some of the gas should be still supplied via Ukrainian territory, that is, transit through the territory of Ukraine remains important," Merkel said.

She added that the political component of the issue should also be taken into account.

Earlier, in the interview with the Handelsblatt, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko called on the European partners to join the management of the Ukrainian transit pipeline. At the same time, he called Nord Stream 2 "a political bribe for the loyalty to Russia."

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