German Vice Chancellor and Gazprom CEO Discuss Nord Stream 2

At a working meeting in Berlin on Wednesday, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller emphasized the importance of the Nord Stream 2 project.

The Russian company indicated that last year was a record year in terms of gas supplies to Germany. They reached 45.3 billion cubic meters, an increase of 17.1 percent over the previous year. It was also noted that the upward trend continues this year - in the first four months, the supply of natural gas increased by 19 percent.

The report from Gazprom said that the participants in the Berlin meeting stressed the importance of the construction of Nord Stream 2, drawing attention to the increased demand for Russian energy resources in Europe. “It was noted that the construction of the new gas pipeline would not only improve the reliability of supplies, but would also contribute to the development of the European gas market,” says Gazprom.

In early September 2015, representatives of the Russian Gazprom, the German E.ON and BASF-Wintershall, the Anglo-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, the French Engi (formerly GdF Suez) and the Austrian OMV signed a legally binding shareholder agreement on the construction of the gas pipeline. Opponents of the project argue that it could increase Europe's dependence on Russian gas and lead to the fact that Ukraine will lose its importance as a transit country. At the same time, supporters of Nord Stream 2 argue that the new gas pipeline will increase the security of the supply of raw materials.