Translated material
Putin and Merkel discussed Nord Stream 2
The President of Russia and the German Chancellor discussed the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Sochi today. Vladimir Putin said he would fight to promote the project.
As Interfax reports from a press conference following the talks, Putin called Nord Stream 2 beneficial for Russia and noted that US President Donald Trump is promoting the supply of American liquefied gas to the European market. According to him, Russian gas can cost the EU countries cheaper.
Putin also promised German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Russia would continue to transit Russian gas through Ukraine "if it makes economic sense." According to him, Moscow is ready for negotiations with Ukraine on this issue.
Merkel, in turn, said that the role of Ukraine after the launch of the pipeline as a transit country should be preserved. “This is of strategic importance and Germany is ready to play its part and provide assistance. We need to think about guarantees for Ukraine, including,” she said. The chancellor also urged Putin to continue dialogue with Tehran on the ballistic missile program after the withdrawal from the agreement on the US Iranian nuclear program.
On the eve it became known that US President Donald Trump demanded that Angela Merkel refuse to support Nord Stream 2 and withdraw permission for its construction through Germany. In exchange, he promised to start negotiations on a new trade agreement with the EU.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will run along the bottom of the Baltic Sea to the German Greifswald across the territory of 5 countries. Its length should be 1.2 thousand km.
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