BERLIN, April 29. /TASS/. Germany needs reliable gas supplies from Russia in the future and supports commissioning the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline as soon as possible, Minister President of Germany's federal state of Saxony Michael Kretschmer said at a Russian-German conference on Thursday.
"We, Germany, of course, need reliable gas supplies from Russia. Russia [accounts for] 40% of gas demand in the European Union, which is why we would like to put the new Nord Stream 2 into operation as soon as possible," he explained.
Meanwhile, Germany is eager to closely cooperate with Moscow on the topic of hydrogen use for providing energy to Europe, Kretschmer said, adding that he hopes face-to-face meetings with Russia’s representatives will be held in Saxony after the pandemic.
German officials have repeatedly highlighted the necessity of completing the construction of Nord Stream 2. Berlin believes that the project is essential for the economy and commercially significant. That said, the cabinet points out one political aspect, insisting that Ukraine retains its role as a transit zone after the pipeline is launched. Germany is currently abandoning coal and nuclear energy. The country needs more gas to shift to renewable energy sources safely for the industry. Environmentalists, like the Greens, have repeatedly criticized Nord Stream 2.
As of March 31, the gas pipeline was 95% completed, with 121 kilometers left to be laid.