Ukraine and US agree to continue opposing Nord Stream 2
Ukraine and the United States have agreed to continue opposing the construction of the Russian gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, reported Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s press service following a meeting between him and US Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
“The parties pointed out the need to continue opposing the Nord Stream 2 project and also to diversify energy carrier sources, especially by expanding the possibilities for shipping liquefied gas from the US,” the press release states.
During the meeting, Poroshenko highlighted the importance of collaboration with the US in the energy sphere in order to reinforce Ukraine’s energy security. He and Perry announced the start of Ukrainian-American strategic dialog on energy, which will facilitate closer collaboration between state institutions and companies.
The Ukrainian President pointed out a number of successful joint ventures between the two countries in the area of nuclear energy and the shipment of American coal to Ukraine. He expressed interest in bringing modern American technologies to Ukraine, as well as the US’s leading experience in the effective development of existing oil and gas reserves.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is intended to span the Baltic Sea and connect the Russian supplier to consumers in Europe. It will be more than 1,200 km long, with a throughput capacity of 55 billion cubic meters per year. The project’s cost is estimated at nearly €10 billion. The consortium of project participants includes Gazprom, Engie, OMV, Shell, BASF and Uniper.
Nord Stream 2 has received complete authorization for construction and use in Germany, Finland and Sweden. In August, British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt urged the EU to join the sanctions on Russia and to block the Nord Stream 2 project, which he said “undermines EU energy policy”. In his opinion, it would be cheaper to invest in upgrading the Ukrainian gas transmission system.