Ukraine furiously accuses EU & Germany of imposing rules on Kiev that bloc breaches itself
EU: Guy Verhofstadt calls to ‘reconsider’ Nord Stream 2
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Kiev invoked two clauses in its Association Agreement with the bloc after Berlin and the United States announced a deal that aims to settle concerns over the project. The formal talks will focus on Ukraine’s concerns that the pipeline will carry natural gas from Russia to Germany is a threat to the stability of Europe. In a joint statement with Poland, Kiev said US President Joe Biden’s decision to stop opposing the project “has created political, military and energy threat for Ukraine and Central Europe, while increasing Russia’s potential to destabilise the security situation in Europe, perpetuating divisions among Nato and European Union member states”.
The project will also come as a financial blow to Ukraine because Moscow will be able to stop paying Kiev billions to transport gas into the EU.
In a note sent to the EU last week, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Article 274 of their agreement means the bloc is obliged to “consult and coordinate” with Kiev on energy “infrastructure developments” and “shall cooperate on matters related to trade in natural gas, sustainability and security of supply”.
Mr Kuleba also argued that Article 337 of the treaty means both sides had committed to establishing “effective mechanisms to address potential energy crisis situation in the spirit of solidarity”.
Ukraine believes that the EU is breaking its own rules and is demanding it holds its member states to the same demands it expects of Ukraine.
And EU insiders say that Kiev is justified to be making such arguments when it comes to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
One EU official told the Politico website: “They are absolutely right.
“In the institutions, there is a sense of my colleagues that the Association Agreements imposes obligations on the Ukrainians, rather than mutually.”
A senior diplomat added: “The recent Ukrainian initiative is a shrewd one, sure.
“I, however, wonder why they haven’t done it earlier.”
Svitlana Zalishchuk, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, said: “I think we have a different approach to the Association Agreement.
“It says in the document that it is a bilateral document and it has been ratified by all 27 member states, and by the EU itself, and imposed the liability for both sides.
“It’s not just Ukraine’s obligations to do reforms.
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“It’s also the EU’s obligation to apply the same principles that are working in the EU toward Ukraine.”
The German-US deal over Nord Stream 2 hopes to address Washington’s concerns that the pipeline hands Russia too much influence over European energy supplies.
The agreements includes a promise that Berlin will take action and press for EU sanctions against Moscow should it “use energy as a weapon or commit further aggressive acts against Ukraine”.
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It sets out a US-Germany Climate and Energy Partnership that will focus on reducing reliance on Russia for energy supplies.
Under the deal, Berlin vowed to abide by the “letter and spirit” of EU gas rules when assessing Nord Stream 2 for compliance.
It also includes “an assessment of any risks posed by certification of the project operator to the security of energy supply of the EU”.
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