Nord Stream 2 a ‘political bribe’: Ukrainian president

If built, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline would supply around 55 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, circumventing Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine.

Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine all oppose the project.

Poroshenko said in an interview published in German daily Handelsblatt on Monday that Nord Stream 2 is a “purely political project financed by Russia.”

He was cited as saying that the gas pipeline was "a political bribe for loyalty to Russia” amid a plan to impose an economic and energy blockade on Ukraine and seriously harm that country.

The pipeline does not have any economic justification, Poroshenko was quoted as saying.

He adding that a transit gas pipeline running through Ukrainian territory is "much cheaper" and could be easily and cheaply modernised.

Its current capacity of up to 100 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year could be easily increased, Poroshenko was cited as saying.

"Please ask us instead of investing 10 billion dollars in Nord Stream 2," he added.

Poroshenko was expected to make a trip to Berlin on Tuesday.

‘Detrimental and divisive’

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was cited as saying in mid-February that the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline was “unnecessary, detrimental and divisive.”

Polish President Andrzej Duda has also criticised the planned pipeline.

The US State Department spokeswoman said last month that the US government opposed Nord Stream 2 as the project would undermine Europe’s energy security and stability.

Heather Nauert said at a department press briefing that companies engaged in the construction and financing of the pipeline “could expose themselves to sanctions” under US law.

(pk/gs)

Source: PAP