BERLIN, July 23. /TASS/. Germany has not changed its position on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project and this is a commercial project, although Ukraine’s role as the country making gas transit should be clarified when implementing it, spokesperson of the Cabinet of Ministers Ulrike Demmer said on Monday.

"Our position has not changed: as far as the Nord Stream 2 is concerned, this refers to a commercial project," she said. "However, we always said at the same time that the role to be played by Ukraine as the transit country for gas should be clarified," she said. "The German government welcomes talks held by [Vice-President of the European Commission Maros] Sefcovic with Russian and Ukrainian sides," Demmer noted.

"The German government welcomes talks held by [Vice-President of the European Commission Maros] Sefcovic with Russian and Ukrainian sides," Demmer noted.

Nord Stream 2 is a project to expand the existing Nord Stream main gas pipeline, connecting Russia and Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea, bypassing the transit states of Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and other Eastern European and Baltic countries. In general, the pipeline mirrors the Nord Stream route, and will pass through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of five states - Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany. Its length will be more than 1,200 km, and its throughput capacity will be 55 bln cubic meters of gas per year. Nord Stream 2 is scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2019.