Ukrainian energy expert: only US can prevent construction of Nord Stream 2 pipleline
Ukraine’s call to the global community to not participate in the preparation, financing or lobbying of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not affect the situation in any way. This opinion was expressed in commentary by Valentin Zemlyansky, an independent energy issues expert and former head of the Public Relations Department of NJSC Naftogaz Ukraine, on the website InfoResist.
"We [Ukraine] are not participants in the process. As such, we are not the subjects of geopolitical layouts. [Only] the United States can really intervene in this, and it actively intervenes. And we form a backdrop for this. That’s our treatment; [we are treated] as nothing more than a backdrop for Washington's actions to counteract Nord Stream 2. Same as with Poland and the Baltic States," he said.
The expert pointed out that Ukraine's argument is that Nord Stream 2 will increase the dependence of European countries on the supply of Russian gas. However, says Zemlyansky, this is not the case.
"This is the same gas, the same volumes that are supplied on the Ukrainian route. It's about changing the route, not about increasing the presence of Russian Gazprom in the European market," Zemlyansky said.
At the same time, he said, Europe does care how the gas will be delivered: "For Europe, this is a concrete business project, one. This is the political influence of Germany, two. And this is an opportunity for Ukraine, from the point of view of the gas transportation system management, to go ahead further with upgrades to the remaining pipes, so to speak."
The Verkhovna Rada earlier passed an appeal to the international community regarding the inadmissibility of the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and Russia’s monopoly in global gas markets.