Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Russia may use the Nord Stream 2 Baltic pipeline as a "dangerous geopolitical weapon" at a joint press conference following a meeting with outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Credit: Oleh Dubyna / Shutterstock
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pictured in 2019. Credit: Oleh Dubyna / Shutterstock
Merkel, who is on her final tour as chancellor, admitted she understood where Zelensky's concerns over Russia's influence on the pipeline she helped spearhead, and threatened sanctions should Moscow use the pipeline against Ukraine, echoing similar talks with the US last month.
Read more: US and Germany strike a deal over Nord Stream 2
Concerns have been raised over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is nearing completion, that it could be used by Russia to undermine Ukraine's sovereignty.
Many energy chains travel through Ukraine, and it forms a major part of the country's economy. If Russia can export gas directly to Western Europe through the Baltic pipeline, Kyiv will not receive vital transit fees.
Zelensky has been a fierce opponent of the pipeline for energy security reasons.
When finished, the pipeline could double natural gas exports to Germany at a time when the country - as well as the wider EU - is looking to shift away from fossil fuels.
"We view this project exclusively through the prism of security and consider it a dangerous geopolitical weapon of the Kremlin," Zelensky told the conference.
He warned the pipeline could be dangerous "for all of Europe", and has suggested the pipeline will only play into Russia's hands.
Merkel has already struck a deal with Washington, which also opposes the pipeline for similar reasons, to threaten sanctions against Russia should it use the pipeline as a weapon against Ukraine.
The Trump administration levied sanctions against companies working on the construction of the pipeline, fearing it would make Europe dependent on an "unpredictable foreign power."
However, Biden reversed these sanctions when he came into office in a bid to mend ties with Germany following the damage caused to EU-US relations during the geopolitically tumultuous years of his predecessor.
Read more: Biden waives Nord Stream 2 sanctions in push to mend ties with Germany
However, Zelensky is also concerned about what could happen when Russia's contract for energy supply with Ukraine expires in three years. The loss of transit fees could see billions of dollars disappear from the country's coffers.
Merkel held talks with Vladimir Putin last week and has also pledged to aid Ukraine in the development of its renewable energy sector, totalling €1 billion.
One item on the agenda for that meeting was Moscow extending its energy contract with Ukraine, so Kyiv does not lose vital capital during such an important period.
She has also tried to allay fears that the pipeline could make Germany dependent on Russia.
"The gas must not be used as a geopolitical weapon," she said. "It will come down to if there is an extension to the transit contract via Ukraine — the sooner the better."
Despite her stepping down after nearly 16 years in power, she revealed these threats of sanctions would be "legally binding" for future German governments.
Nord Stream 2 has become a domestic headache for Germany too, with multipartisan support both for and against it.
Merkel's own Christian Democratic Union is in favour of the pipeline, also calling for further engagement and dialogue between Ukraine and Russia.
The Social Democrat Party generally also support the pipeline, but further to the left, the Greens and Die Linke (The Left) are opposed to it for environmental and geopolitical reasons.
More conservative politicians are also mixed, with some favouring completion while opting to sanction Moscow should it attempt to leverage the gas over Kyiv.
Germany is likely to consider using natural gas as a stepping stone to net-zero, as it attempts to phase out coal.
Read more: Germany revises emissions targets after constitutional court ruling
Berlin is still set on becoming net-zero by 2045, putting it ahead of other key economies, including the EU, which has pledged to a goal of net-zero by 2050.
The prospect of using natural gas to aid in decarbonisation in the short term has become a contentious topic within the bloc, primarily over greenwashing concerns.
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