Merkel: We will not depend on Russia for gas

Germany will not depend on Russia for gas that would be supplied through the Russian pipeline "Nord Stream 2", said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She added that it is crucial to ensure that Ukraine remains a transit country for gas.

"Are we becoming dependent on Russia because of this second pipeline? I say 'no', if at the same time we implement the expansion of supply sources)," Merkel said at a press conference in Bratislava, where she spoke with the leaders of the Visegrad Group (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia).

According to diplomatic sources, Germany is pressuring other European capitals to block the European Union's proposal on the regulation for "Nord Stream 2" ahead of today's key meeting, but may not succeed in convincing France, which poses a threat to the continuation of the project's construction.

The European Commission wants to extend its regulation on the internal energy market to "maritime" pipelines, as it is also asking for the new gas connection under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany.

Eastern European, Nordic and Baltic countries oppose the construction of this pipeline, as do the US, which believe that the new 1,225 km pipeline holds the EU hostage to Moscow, while others, primarily Germany, prioritize economic benefits.