Merkel Says Gas Must Flow Through Ukraine After Pipeline Built
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe will do everything in its power to ensure that gas supplies continue to flow through Ukraine even after the construction of the disputed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Germany and Russia.
The promise was a warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin not to use the pipeline as a political weapon three days before the German leader holds talks with U.S. President Joe Biden, who has criticized the project.
“We’re going to do everything we can to make very clear that Nord Stream 2 is no replacement for the promised supply through Ukraine,” Merkel said in Berlin alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who called the infrastructure project a national security threat during a two-day visit.
Nord Stream 2 will be front and center during Merkel’s first meeting with Biden in Washington on Thursday. While the U.S. administration has suspended sanctions aimed at halting the construction of the pipeline, American officials are demanding Merkel take measures to keep Russia in check and guarantee gas transit through Ukraine.
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