Germany wants the agreement on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine to be prolonged as soon as possible, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
“Our cooperation in the sphere of energy is very important. It already exists, but it will continue, also because there will be further traffic through the Ukrainian gas transport system from Russia to Europe. I have spoken about that with the Russian president [during the visit to Moscow on August 20] that we want to prolong the agreement, which is in effect until 2024, as soon as possible. We will also speak about that in Europe and with the companies that are associated with that here,” Merkel said at a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday.
Germany will also have its own special envoy on transit issues, Merkel said.
“We agree with the Americans that gas cannot be used as a weapon. And therefore, we will be holding these talks with the Americans,” Merkel said.
“It has to be said that Nord Stream 2 is not a German-Russian project, there are companies from Germany, the Netherlands, and France there. And therefore it’s a European-Russian project, it is subject to European law, it is subject to the law of the Third Energy Package because we are not fully free in regulation, but should cite exactly that, therefore we didn’t hold these talks from the German side, but we supported that on the European side,” she said.
Merkel said Ukraine needs to develop in the direction of climate neutrality.
“We will export gas from Russia to Europe after 2024, and it’s important here that Ukraine should stay a transit country, and it’s important that this agreement should stay, and then step by step – it’s very important to Russia – Ukraine should also develop in the direction of climate neutrality. Germany should achieve that by 2045. That is why gas consumption will decrease, and then gas will not go on Nord Stream or via Ukraine’s gas transport system, and then Ukraine should be ready for what can be done then,” Merkel said.
One of the possibilities is partnership in the sphere of green energy, namely on hydrogen, she said.
“But it’s not a problem that can replace transit via the Ukrainian gas transport system from 2024. However, due to the renewable sources of energy, which can be expanded in Ukraine, it is possible to help here to produce green hydrogen by means of hydrolysis, by means of green energy from renewable sources of energy and use it,” the chancellor said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Russia on August 20 and will travel to Ukraine on August 22, German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin on Friday.
“The chancellor will visit Moscow on Friday and Kyiv on Sunday,” Seibert said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will speak at the beginning of the fourth Ukrainian-German economic forum, which will be held on March 19.
“Together with high-ranking speakers from Ukraine and Germany, we want to raise current topics and put them up for discussion in several panels. President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry Eric Schweitzer will open the conference together with Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal,” says the forum program.
Merkel’s speech is scheduled for 10:00 on Friday.
According to the organizers, the German-Ukrainian business forum serves as a platform for the discussion and development of economic relations between Germany and Ukraine. It is intended for business and political decision makers in Germany and Ukraine. In connection with the coronavirus pandemic, the forum will be held digitally with live broadcast from the German Business House in Berlin.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Germany announced that within the framework of the forum, international experts of the highest level in four consecutive panels will discuss the topics of industrial development and digitalization, energy and renewable energy, food processing and agriculture, as well as logistics and infrastructure. Ukrainian ministers from the aforementioned sectors, as well as representatives of German politics and international economics, are invited to participate in the discussion.
The forum is organized by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, UkraineInvest, the Ukrainian Embassy in Germany in cooperation with the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), the German-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Ukraine) and the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed the results of the gas talks between Ukraine and Russia, German government spokesperson Ulrike Demmer wrote on Twitter on December 31.
“I [Angela Merkel] am glad that the talks on the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine, which have been held for a year and a half, could now be successfully concluded,” reads Merkel’s statement posted by Demmer.
Merkel also noted that the continuation of gas transit through Ukraine from January 1, 2020 is “a good and important signal for ensuring our gas supply security in Europe.”
She thanked the Russian and Ukrainian governments, Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič, Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier and other participants for the successful results of the talks.
As reported, Russia’s Gazprom, NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine LLC (GTSOU) and the Justice Ministry of Ukraine signed a package of documents that allow to continue gas transit via Ukraine after December 31, 2019, consistent with the protocol signed on December 20, 2019.
“Five days of continuous bilateral negotiations in Vienna have resulted in final decisions and final agreements. Also, the sides have signed a package of agreements and contracts as a big package deal, which restores balance of interests. The documents take effect today to ensure Russian gas transit via Ukraine after December 31, 2019,” Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller told the press.
German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has congratulated Oleksiy Honcharuk on his appointment as Prime Minister of Ukraine, expressed interest in developing Ukrainian-German relations and invited the head of the Ukrainian government to visit Berlin in the nearest time.
“I would be very glad to welcome you soon in Berlin,” the text of Merkel’s letter to Honcharuk, published on the German government’s website on Tuesday, says.
According to her, the German Federal Government will remain a reliable partner for Ukraine and the Ukrainian government in carrying out key reforms in the field of justice, decentralization and the fight against corruption.
“Germany wants to work together in close dialogue with Ukraine on many of the challenges Ukraine faces. The goal remains in that Ukraine can shape its own future with sovereignty and full territorial integrity. Germany is also interested in further deepening bilateral economic relations. We look forward to working with you in this area,” the letter says.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 18 will discuss Minsk agreements and reforms in Ukraine with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, official representative of the German government Ulrike Demmer has said. “During the working lunch, politicians will talk about bilateral relations, the implementation of the Minsk agreements, the conflict in the east of Ukraine and the reform process. Then a press conference will be held,” Demmer told reporters.
According to her, for Germany the “Minsk process” to settle the situation in Ukraine is very important.
“You know how important the Minsk process is to us,” she said. Despite the fact that work within the framework of the format at different levels is ongoing, Demmer did not specify the dates of the summit of the leaders of the Normandy Four or a meeting of foreign ministers.
“Work under the Normandy Four is under way, and I cannot tell you about specific events now,” the spokeswoman for the German government said.
Zelensky will also meet President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Germany.
