Germany under no circumstances will not depend on Russia, - Merkel on the pipeline "North Stream 2"

Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel denies that with the commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline Germany will be dependent on Russia.

She announced this on Thursday in Bratislava at a joint press conference with the prime ministers of the Visegrad Group countries, according to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform.

"Will we depend on Russia in the light of the construction of a second gas pipeline? I say - no, if we simultaneously engage in diversification," Merkel said, noting that Russia supplied gas to Europe even during the Cold War.

She assured that Germany "under no circumstances will not make itself dependent on Russia," and reminded of plans for construction of terminals for liquefied natural gas.

The Chancellor reiterated that Berlin insists on preserving the transit of gas through the territory of Ukraine, which she constantly says, according to her words, with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, Merkel, who actually supports the construction of the gas pipeline, was opposed to her close colleagues in the ranks of their own party and at the European level. Thus, Norbert Ratten, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Christian Democrat Bundestag, told the Tagesspiegel that "the federal government's policy towards Nord Stream 2 has been unilateral for many years, which did not take into account the opposition of the majority in the EU and, above all, the problems security of the Eastern European neighbors ". The deputy believes that in this matter, Germany is self-isolated in the EU.

In addition, in voting in the EU on the revision of the gas directive to be held on Friday, Berlin may be deprived of the support of its closest European partner, France. This was reported on Thursday by German media sources citing sources in Paris.

censor.net.ua  In Ukrainian/український