German Government's stance on Nord Stream 2 and transit via Ukrainian remains unchanged
"Our stance on Nord Stream 2 remains unchanged: it is an economic entrepreneurial project that has a political dimension, which is why it is so central to us and so important that Ukraine must remain a transit country," Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said at a briefing in Berlin on January 13, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
In this context, he welcomed the extension of gas transit agreement between Ukraine and Russia through the mediation of the EU and also “due to the great efforts of Germany.”
"This is a very important and good signal," the spokesman said.
He disagreed with critics of the project, who say that Nord Stream 2 strengthens dependence on Russian gas, as Berlin considers that the new gas pipeline, on the contrary, means diversifying supplies.
On January 11, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced firm support for Nord Stream 2 project after the talks with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
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