Putin's Ukraine gas transit promise aims to divert attention from Nord Stream 2

摘要

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin is looking to start talks with European states Germany, Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia, as well as with the US, over potential changes in Russian gas transit flows after the completion of subsea pipeline Nord Stream 2. Speaking earlier this week, Putin said that the country "has assumed certain obligations under the [gas transit] agreement with Ukraine and will continue to fully implement them". He also insisted on keeping gas transit and Nord Stream 2 out of "political talks" between Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France over tensions following the Russian annexation of the Crimea Peninsula from Ukraine and the Kremlin's alleged support of pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country.