German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that his government will do everything possible to ensure that the "Nord Stream 2" gas pipeline is never put into operation.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that "Nord Stream 2" is never put into operation“, Merz said at a press conference after talks with Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. The Chancellor promised to “increase pressure on Russia“ and recalled that “the 18th package of sanctions is being worked on“. “We are negotiating with America on this issue“, he said.
Merz recalled that last year the G7 countries decided to use the revenues from frozen Russian assets in support of Ukraine. “If possible, we will discuss this issue again at the next G7 summit“, Merz said.
“We are currently working actively on the joint preparation of additional measures“, the chancellor said.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU was working on the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, which would include measures on oil, a reduction in the price ceiling and new restrictions on the so-called shadow fleet. Last week, EU countries approved the 17th package of sanctions, which blacklisted 17 people and 58 organizations, as well as 189 tankers carrying Russian oil and oil products, ignoring the community's attempts to set a price ceiling.