Europe wants to achieve climatic neutrality in 25 years and will need much less gas than today, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday after talks with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. “Europe will need to achieve climatic neutrality step by step by 2050,” she said. “It means that in 25 …
Read More »Merkel Says Russia-Ukraine Transit Accord Must Be Extended
Chancellor Angela Merkel reinforced her pledge to ensure Russian gas flows through Ukraine, an economic lifeline for the former Soviet republic threatened by the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline linking Russia to Germany. A gas-transit accord between Russia and Ukraine must be extended “as quickly as possible,” Merkel said at …
Read More »U.S. and Germany Reach a Deal on Putin’s Pipeline Project
As the Russia-backed Nord Stream 2 natural-gas pipeline nears completion, likely by next month, the U.S. and Germany have struck a deal that would resolve their years-long dispute over the project, according to the Wall Street Journal. A draft proposal under consideration by Washington and Berlin, which was obtained by …
Read More »Biden, Merkel Agree to Disagree on Nord Stream 2
President Biden and Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to disagree on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project of Gazprom during Merkel’s visit to Washington. Per a Reuters report, President Biden said, “Good friends can disagree,” with regard to the pipeline, which the United States opposes with the argument that Russia …
Read More »Nord Stream 2 does not Mean Replacing Gas Transit through Ukraine
Nord Stream 2 should complement, not completely replace, gas transit through Ukraine, as another scenario will cause tensions, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting with US leader Joe Biden in Washington on July, 15. “For me, Nord Stream 2 is an additional project, not a project instead of gas …
Read More »New, Extended COVID-19 Lockdowns Send Oil Prices on Descent
Renewed concerns over flaring up of COVID-19 cases in Europe have reversed fortunes in crude oil industry, sending oil prices on another round of descent. Both the WTI and Brent crude fell by over four per cent on Tuesday. New or extended lockdowns in Europe, including in Italy, France, and …
Read More »Germany Agrees to Pay Energy Companies over 2 Billion Euros in Nuclear Exit Compensation
The German government has agreed to pay nuclear power station operators 2.4 billion euros in compensation for losses suffered during the country’s early nuclear shutdown in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, ending a long legal battle. “The government has reached an agreement with EnBW, E.ON/PreussenElektra, RWE and Vattenfall,” Germany’s …
Read More »Macron Supported Merkel’s Position on Nord Stream 2 Project
German and French leaders took part in a virtual meeting on security policy and cooperation. Angela Merkel noted the importance of the gas pipeline for her country, which will soon complete the transition from coal and nuclear energy to renewable sources. Germany has set ambitious emissions-cutting goals that involve the …
Read More »Germany’s Merkel Stands by Backing for Russia Gas Pipeline
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday stood by her backing for a German-Russian gas pipeline project despite the Navalny case and the threat of U.S. sanctions Merkel said her government’s position on Nord Stream 2 is still unaffected by tensions over Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who recovered in Germany …
Read More »Merkel Stands by Nord Stream 2, but Is Open to Discussing Russia with Biden
Angela Merkel said she’s willing to discuss energy ties with Moscow with the incoming U.S. administration, but the German chancellor reiterated her support for a controversial gas pipeline to Russia. “We need to also discuss which economic relations in the gas sector are possible with Russia, and which aren’t,” Merkel …
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