Brussels Reporter
  • Home
  • Brussels
  • Europe
    • Europe

      Ryanair must pay Italian social security for some…

      May 19, 2022May 19, 2022

      Europe

      Gaffe as George W Bush slams Russia’s ‘wholly…

      May 19, 2022May 19, 2022

      Europe

      In talk of boosting EU defense, Brussels means…

      May 19, 2022

      Europe

      German IS bride given two-year suspended prison sentence

      May 18, 2022May 18, 2022

      Europe

      Swiss woman charged over ‘jihadist-motivated’ knife attack in…

      May 18, 2022May 19, 2022

  • Globe
  • Lifestyle
  • Business

Brussels Reporter

  • Home
  • Brussels
  • Europe
    • Europe

      Ryanair must pay Italian social security for some…

      May 19, 2022May 19, 2022

      Europe

      Gaffe as George W Bush slams Russia’s ‘wholly…

      May 19, 2022May 19, 2022

      Europe

      In talk of boosting EU defense, Brussels means…

      May 19, 2022

      Europe

      German IS bride given two-year suspended prison sentence

      May 18, 2022May 18, 2022

      Europe

      Swiss woman charged over ‘jihadist-motivated’ knife attack in…

      May 18, 2022May 19, 2022

  • Globe
  • Lifestyle
  • Business
Home Europe Ukraine, Poland slam ‘insufficient’ deal struck by Germany and U.S. on Nord Stream 2
Europe

Ukraine, Poland slam ‘insufficient’ deal struck by Germany and U.S. on Nord Stream 2

by editor July 21, 2021July 21, 2021
July 21, 2021July 21, 2021

Germany and the United States have announced a deal to allow the completion of a controversial Russian gas pipeline to Europe without the imposition of further U.S. sanctions.

The agreement on Nord Stream 2, announced on Wednesday, says Germany and the U.S. commit to countering any future Russian attempt to use the pipeline as a political tool.

The two states also agreed to support Ukraine and Poland, which construe the project as a security threat, by funding alternative energy and development projects.

In a joint statement, the two governments said they were “united in their determination to hold Russia to account for aggression and malign activities by imposing costs via sanctions and other tools” – referring largely to Russian support for separatists in Ukraine.

There are long-held concerns that Nord Stream 2 could give Russia too much power over European gas supplies, or allow gas to be shut off to Russia’s adversaries.

But the pipeline is almost completed and has had the staunch support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel throughout the process.

What has Germany signed up to?

The joint statement says that “should Russia attempt to use energy as a weapon, or commit further aggressive acts against Ukraine, Germany will take action at the national level and press for effective measures at the European level, including sanctions.”

Germany and the U.S. have both committed to supporting a $1 billion fund for Ukraine to diversify its energy sources, of which Germany will provide an initial $175 million.

Germany has also guaranteed it will reimburse Ukraine for gas transit fees it will lose from being bypassed by Nord Stream 2 until 2024, with a possible 10-year extension.

It has also committed to continue offering Ukraine support to transition away from coal, including by appointing a new “special envoy” with dedicated funding of $70 million.

In a nod to Poland, Germany has also agreed to sign the ‘Three Seas Initiative’, an EU and U.S.-promoted scheme that aims to boost energy security among countries bordering the Baltic, Black, and Adriatic seas.

The German government, the statement said, will help to contribute up to $1.7 billion of European Union funding to the initiative up until 2027.

Opposition to Nord Stream 2 still widespread

The U.S. waived sanctions on the Russian companies overseeing Nord Stream 2 in May this year. But the Biden administration still opposes the pipeline in principle.

The deal has already attracted condemnation from Ukraine and Poland. In a joint statement issued on Wednesday night, the countries’ two foreign ministers, Dmytro Kuleba and Zbigniew Rau called the deal struck “insufficient”.

“The decision to build Nord Stream 2 made in 2015 mere months after Russia’s invasion and illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory, created a security, credibility and political crisis in Europe,” they said. “Currently, this crisis is significantly deepened by the resignation from attempts to stop the launch of the NS2 gas pipeline.

“Unfortunately, the proposals to cover the resulting security deficit cannot be considered sufficient to limit the threats created by NS2. We call on the United States and Germany to adequately address the security crisis in our region, that Russia is the only beneficiary to. Ukraine and Poland will work together with their and partners to oppose NS2 until solutions are developed.”

U.S. politicians of all stripes also lined up to criticise the move on Wednesday. The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, said he had no doubt Russia would still “use the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a weapon of coercion against Ukraine and transatlantic energy security as soon as it is operational.

“Promises to invest in future Ukrainian energy projects and ambiguous threats of consequences won’t change that reality.”

The State Department said its officials are due to visit both Kyiv and Warsaw this week to inform them in person of the deal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also now due to visit Biden on August 30. An invitation for “later this summer” had been announced in June, before Biden met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva, but a date was not set until Wednesday.

Source link

previous post
Norway prepares to mark 10th anniversary of Utoya massacre
next post
Ukraine hits back as US, Germany reach deal on Nord Stream 2

Related Posts

French election: Thousands protest against far-right ahead of...

April 16, 2022

Spy suspect had security clearance withdrawn while serving...

January 18, 2020

Biden says he believes Putin has decided to...

February 18, 2022

Fifteen dead after SUV carrying 27 people crashes...

March 2, 2021

Target Germany if you want Russia gas ban,...

May 10, 2022

Coronavirus second wave: How are rising infections in...

November 13, 2020

Kremlin: Putin calls to thank Trump for help...

December 29, 2019

Viral Finland PM quote about US being under...

June 29, 2020

Brexit: Can the state subsidy row blocking a...

October 14, 2020

A deeply divided country goes to the polls

May 8, 2019
Promotion Image

Recent Posts

  • Ryanair must pay Italian social security for some Bergamo staff, says ECJ
  • Afghanistan’s female TV presenters must cover their faces, say Taliban
  • Gaffe as George W Bush slams Russia’s ‘wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq’
  • Bush condemns Putin’s invasion of ‘Iraq’ instead of Ukraine
  • Cost of living: Stock markets fall over rising prices concerns
Promotion Image

GO!

Lifestyle

  • Scientists are using satellites to count elephants from space for the first time

  • France: Hospital workers demand more resources to fight COVID-19

  • Alexei Navalny: Millions watch jailed critic's 'Putin palace' film

  • Covid vaccine: WHO warns of ‘catastrophic moral failure’

  • Belgium looks good in white

Popular Posts

  • 1

    War in Ukraine: The teenagers at war with only three days training

    March 13, 2022
  • 2

    Boy, 15, survives the attack that killed his father in front of him

    May 13, 2022
  • 3

    Winter Olympics: Kamila Valieva tops leaderboard after figure skating short programme

    February 15, 2022

Editor’s Choices

  • Sociopath ING or a blockchain of corruption from a well-known financial group

    May 24, 2021
  • Pfizer, AstraZeneca COVID jabs ‘highly effective’ against India variant, study shows

    May 23, 2021
  • G20 leaders at Rome summit pledge more vaccines for poorer countries

    May 21, 2021

Opinions

  • In talk of boosting EU defense, Brussels means business

    May 19, 2022
  • Victims ‘want no amnesty’ for Troubles-era killers, Irish tell UK

    May 18, 2022
  • UK to offer immunity to Troubles-era killers — if they tell the truth

    May 17, 2022

@2018-2021 - Brussels Reporter (www.brusselsreporter.com). All Right Reserved.