Zelenskyy Believes Nord Stream 2 Should Be Discussed in Normandy Format

KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th July, 2021) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the construction of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline should be discussed in the Normandy format, since the pipeline, in his opinion, poses a threat to the security of Ukraine.

"I told Mrs. [Angela] Merkel that such guarantees would not be enough for us, because the subject in all these negotiations is Russia. And if we are talking about energy security, we must have guarantees from the EU, guarantees from Germany, guarantees from France. I believe that Nord Stream 2 is part of the future Normandy meeting," Zelenskyy said at a joint briefing with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday.

He explained that the construction of Nord Stream 2 threatens the country's energy security.

"I really believe that the Normandy format can be one of the platforms where energy issues can be raised. The risk that Ukraine will be disconnected from gas, from gas transit, this can happen - the entire territory of Ukraine and temporarily occupied territory is at risk. So, the temporarily occupied part of Donbas may not receive gas either, and this is already a question of security guarantees in those territories that all participants in the Normandy format took upon themselves," Zelenskyy added.

Merkel admitted that the Normandy four countries might discuss energy issues at the next meeting of the leaders, but they are not part of the Minsk settlement process.

"We talked about energy issues, formally they do not relate to the Normandy format and the implementation of the Minsk agreements, but Germany and France are partners of Ukraine on other issues. This means that we are not talking about gas in the Normandy format, but when and if we meet again, the four of us, then the topic of energy will be important for us, but this is not part of the Minsk format. And without this it is a rather difficult question, but Germany and France have the same position that Ukraine should remain a gas transit country," she said before meeting with Zelenskyy.

She added that she would discuss the issue of gas transit via Ukraine with US President Joe Biden during her visit to Washington later this week.