The US asks Ukraine to refrain from criticizing Nord Stream 2 agreement with Germany - Politico
The US presidential administration is urging Ukraine to refrain from criticizing the agreement with Germany on Russia's Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline. The US government has said that public protests against the agreement could damage relations between the United States and Ukraine.
Politico writes about this, citing its sources.
"Administration officials have quietly called on their Ukrainian counterparts to refrain from criticizing the future agreement with Germany on the pipeline, according to four people familiar with the talks", - was informed in the statement.
According to these sources, US officials also urged Ukrainians not to discuss potential US and German plans with Congress. But a senior administration official challenged the report, saying the situation was more complicated. He did not give more detailed information.
Read more: US and Germany will announce an agreement on Nord Stream 2 in the coming days - Reuters
In addition, an informant close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told the publication that Ukraine still believes that the United States can stop the project with sanctions if only the administration of US leader Joe Biden will use them during the construction and certification of "NS-2". The man said that Kyiv was still categorically against the project.
What is known
- On July 19, the Russian pipelayer Akademik Chersky left Danish waters to build the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline and headed for Germany's exclusive economic zone. There, the ship will lay a 2.6-kilometre section of the second line of the pipeline.
- According to political scientist Oleksandr Khara, the completion of the gas pipeline is an obvious loss for Ukraine. This will complicate the Ukrainian government's negotiations with other countries, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's hands are gradually being loosened, which could threaten an attempt to seize the entire territory of Ukraine.
- Ukraine is ready to negotiate compensation through Nord Stream-2.
- On June 1, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the NS-2 project is a political weapon of Russia that threatens the energy security of Ukraine and Europe.
- Adviser to the Minister of Energy Lana Zerkal believes that Ukraine should continue to fight against the pipeline, even after the statements of the President of the Russian Federation on the completion of laying the pipes of the first thread "NS-2".
- On June 1, in the US Congress, Republicans demanded immediate sanctions against NS-2.
- On May 21, the US Treasury Department announced the extension of sanctions against vessels and companies involved in the construction of the NS-2 gas pipeline.
