Berlin insists that Ukraine should maintain gas transit role

"For us, the issue of maintaining Ukraine's status as a gas transit country even after the launch of Nord Stream 2 is of central importance," German Federal Government Spokesperson Steffen Seibert said at a briefing on July 9, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He expressed hope that both parties – Russia and Ukraine – will abide by the current agreement and extend it after the expiration.

According to Seibert, Chancellor Angela Merkel "will probably discuss this topic with the President of Ukraine."

At the same time, the Spokesperson confirmed that Berlin and Washington continued negotiating the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, on which the parties' views do not coincide.

Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that he planned to discuss energy security and Nord Stream 2 project during a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on July 12. Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Yevheniy Yenin, in turn, noted that the Ukrainian side would insist on Gazprom's compliance with EU energy legislation during talks with Germany and the United States on guaranteeing Ukraine's energy security in case of the completion of Nord Stream 2.

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