MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/: Russia is not going to use the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline for geopolitical purposes, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said in an interview with TASS, adding that the project would remain solely an economic one for Moscow.
"For us, Nord Stream 2 remains solely an economic project. We are not going to use it, as the Ukrainians say, in any geopolitical calculations. We do not need that," the high-ranked diplomat noted.
Throughout the decades, Russia’s cooperation with Europe in the gas sector has shown that Moscow has not ever used gas as an instrument to influence the political processes, deputy minister said.
Russia will be ready to employ all possibilities to satisfy Europe’s demand as well after the contract on gas transit via Ukraine expires in 2024, he added. "We have repeatedly stated that if there is a necessity and demand from the side of European partners we are ready to use the Ukrainian gas transport system for gas supplies as well," Rudenko said. "The current contract expires in 2024. After 2024 everything will depend, of course, on what gas volumes our European consumers will need," he added.
Gazprom said earlier that the construction of Nord Stream 2 was fully completed on the morning of September 10. Meanwhile, the European Commission (EC) explained that after receiving the draft decision on the certification of the pipeline from the German regulator the EC would have two months for providing its own reply on the certification, and the term may be extended.
