KIEV (Sputnik) — Russia's Gazprom energy company, in order to become less dependent on gas transit through Ukraine, is planning to construct a new gas pipeline to deliver gas to Europe — the Nord Stream 2, which is set to go via the Baltic Sea to Germany.
"Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada calls on the European Parliament, the European Commission, national parliaments and EU member states to follow the principle of solidarity and not to allow implementation of politically motivated projects on construction of gas pipelines bypassing Ukraine, as it contradicts the EU energy strategy on diversification of [energy] sources, as well as threatens the energy security of the European Union and Ukraine," the statement, signed by 264 lawmakers out of the 450 in the Ukrainian parliament, said.
In June 2016, Naftogaz sent a proposal to Gazprom to sign an addendum to the existing contract that would allow the Russian company to resume gas deliveries to Ukraine.
In October this year, the European Commission expanded Gazprom's access to the Opal gas pipeline, which connects the Nord Stream pipeline with Europe’s gas transportation network, by additional 40 percent. However, in accordance with the European Union’s Third Energy Package, European restrictions permit Gazprom to use no more than 50 percent of Opal's traffic capacity.
