Russia building Nord Stream 2 to leave Ukraine without money for defense - Poroshenko

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said he is confident that joint efforts will help stop the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.

He wrote this on his Facebook page.

"Russia wants to build Nord Stream 2 not to conduct diversification through economic factors, but to leave Ukraine without money to finance defense," Poroshenko said.

He noted that in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not go further due to the fact that full-scale aggression against Ukraine would stop the gas transportation network. "Putin would stop receiving from Europe the payment for gas being pumped in transit through Ukraine, and this amount was $30 billion last year alone. Russia would not live without these 30 billion [dollars]," Poroshenko said.

"I am confident that through joint, concerted efforts we will be able to stop the construction of the Nord Stream 2, because it is an absolutely political project that is directed against Ukraine," he added.

op