PRESS RELEASE : President after the meeting with German Chancellor – Ukraine needs energy security guarantees due to the Nord Stream 2 related risks
The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 14 February 2022.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz discussed economic cooperation and challenges in the energy sphere. This was stated by the President of Ukraine during a conversation with media representatives following the negotiations with Olaf Scholz in Kyiv.
The President noted that they had discussed in detail the security risks associated with Nord Stream 2.
“Here we have some differences in assessment. I stressed that our position remains the same – we are considering Nord Stream 2 solely from the perspective of energy and security threats to us and to the region. We clearly understand that this is a geopolitical weapon. That is why Ukraine needs energy security guarantees,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.
The President proposed to launch a concrete strategic dialogue in the energy sphere to elaborate energy guarantees and effective support for Ukraine.
“It is important that Germany becomes a guarantor of continued gas transit through Ukraine,” he said.
According to the President, Olaf Scholz confirmed Germany’s intention to fill the initiative on “green” transformation, decarbonisation and development of renewable energy sources in Ukraine with specifics and financial support.
“And the Ukrainian state is willing to offer great prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of “green” energy,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Head of State stressed that Germany is one of Ukraine’s priority trade partners in Europe.
“We agreed that in the strategic perspective, one of the key elements of Ukraine’s stability and stability in the region should be German investments in Ukraine. The interest in increasing them is mutual,” he said.
The President announced that he would propose to organize the fifth Ukrainian-German Economic Forum in 2022. According to him, Ukraine and Germany have many promising areas for deepening cooperation, so it is important to organize intergovernmental consultations that will open a new stage in relations between the two countries.
For his part, the Federal Chancellor noted that Germany has been supporting Ukraine and its economy for many years and will continue to provide assistance, in particular by encouraging German investors. He announced an immediate payment of 150 million euros of the current untied financial loan and a new untied financial loan.
