ZCZC
BCN-07
US-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-ENERGY-GAS
Top Trump aide condemns EU dependence on Russian gas
KIEV, Aug 25, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – US President Donald Trump’s national
security advisor on a visit to Kiev Friday condemned the proposed Nord Stream
2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany which will bypassing Ukraine,
stressing Europe was taking a strategic risk by relying on Russian gas.
“It’s not just the economic significance of being heavily dependent on
Russia for the supply of natural gas and petroleum, but the strategic
significance of it as well,” John Bolton told journalists after meeting
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko during a visit to Kiev.
He said that one of the concerns Trump has about Nord Stream 2 is “why
Europe would voluntarily tie itself even more to Russian energy supplies.”
Trump has repeatedly condemned the Nord Stream 2 project which the Russian
gas giant Gazprom hopes to launch by the end of 2019.
It is expected it will double the delivery capacity between Russia and
Germany via the Baltic Sea and therefore avoid the route via Ukraine.
Currently Gazprom supplies 35 percent of the EU’s gas and half of that goes
through Ukraine.
“One alternative there for Ukraine and for other countries is to look for
other sources of natural gas,” Bolton said.
“There are other potential sources of natural gas as well from the major
gas fields found in the eastern Mediterranean off Israel, from America’s
capacity to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a variety of other
possible sources,” he added.
At a meeting on Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Angela
Merkel said Ukraine should “play a role in the transit of gas to Europe” even
after Nord Stream 2 is launched.
Putin said the pipeline project “addresses the growing demand of the
European economy for energy resources”.
On Wednesday, he said he was ready for “honest” competition with all
countries.
The United States, a major producer of natural gas, has recently embarked
on a commercial offensive in search of new markets, an idea which is
supported by Trump.
BSS/AFP/HR/0935