Germany calls on Russia to guarantee Ukraine gas transit once Nord Stream 2 is launched

The German economy and energy minister, Peter Altmaier, has called on Russia’s government to guarantee the continued transmission of natural gas via Ukraine’s territory after the completion of the planned Nord Stream 2 offshore pipeline through the Baltic Sea, Nikolaus Doll and Daniel Wetzel write in Die Welt. During a visit to Ukraine’s capital Kiev, Altmaier said the country’s “legitimate interests” had to be taken into account in the controversial pipeline project that directly connects Germany with Russia and is scheduled for opening in 2019. Ahead of a subsequent visit to Moscow, the German minister said Germany has a “responsibility” for Ukraine, which collects about two billion dollars annually in gas transit fees, the article says.

Read the article in German here.

See the CLEW factsheet Germany’s dependence on imported fossil fuels for more information.