The meeting of German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was canceled due to different positions of politicians on the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. CNN journalist Drake Tupper wrote about this in his Twitter-account.
CNN version
Tupper, citing “a source close to the Ukrainian government,” said Nord Stream 2 had caused disagreements between Germany and Ukraine. Due to the lack of consensus on the Russian draft, the politicians did not meet on February 7 as planned. According to the journalist, the head of the German Foreign Ministry is not ready to abandon the launch of Nord Stream 2, even with Russia’s “invasion” of Ukraine. At the same time, she previously threatened Russia with sanctions against the project during the invasion of Ukraine.
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In addition, the meeting was canceled due to Germany’s unwillingness “to provide Kiev with any military assistance directly or indirectly.” Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz explained this position with strict export restrictions. He recalled that Berlin had already sent five thousand military helmets to Ukraine as humanitarian aid due to the deteriorating situation in the east of the country.
Comments from Germany and Ukraine
Burbock said that her French colleague Jean-Yves Le Drian planned to attend the meeting with Zelensky. However, as it became known later, he had other intentions.
Of course, in this regard, I, for my part, adapted the schedule
In turn, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba urged not to regard the cancellation of the meeting between Zelensky and Burbock as a political signal. He made such a statement after talking with a German colleague.
There are no problems with meeting with the president, let’s not create some kind of conspiracy around this
Kuleba added that the diplomatic life of Kiev is now full of visits and telephone conversations, so Zelensky has a busy schedule.
Meeting agenda
It was assumed that Burbock and Zelensky would consider the supply of weapons to Ukraine from Germany. In addition, they planned to discuss military assistance to Ukraine from other countries or from international organizations that do not need permission from the Federal Republic of Germany for this.
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It is expected that Zelensky will also touch upon the issue of armaments during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron, who will visit Ukraine on Tuesday, February 8. However, Ukrainian political scientist Yuriy Romanenko expressed fears that after negotiations in Moscow with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Macron would bring initiatives unfavorable for Ukraine to Kiev.
The West about Nord Stream 2
US President Joe Biden, following talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on February 7, promised to stop Nord Stream 2 in the event of Russia’s “invasion” of Ukraine. In turn, Scholz added that Germany and the United States act in a unified manner regarding the Russian gas pipeline.
France also announced its readiness to block Nord Stream 2.
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Poland suggested that Russia will receive monopoly on Nord Stream 2 during frosts in the European Union. Journalist Andrzej Kublik believes that the country is using the “sudden crisis” in the European energy sector “for its own purposes.”
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry called for an end to the politicization of Nord Stream 2. The agency asked the European Commission to certify the pipeline “in strict accordance with current regulations.”
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