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Germany vows to seek Ukraine gas transit contract extension — statement

Additionally, Berlin and Washington commit to cooperation within the framework of high-level dialogue on interaction with Russia

BERLIN, July 22. /TASS/. Germany pledges to seek an extension of the contract that secures gas transit through Ukraine beyond 2024 and appoint a special envoy to achieve this goal, reads the joint statement of Germany and the US issued on Wednesday.

"The United States and Germany are united in their belief that it is in Ukraine’s and Europe’s interest for gas transit via Ukraine to continue beyond 2024. In line with this belief, Germany commits to utilize all available leverage to facilitate an extension of up to 10 years to Ukraine’s gas Transit agreement with Russia, including appointing a special envoy to support those negotiations, to begin as soon as possible and no later than September 1. The United States commits to fully support these efforts," the statement notes.

Additionally, Berlin and Washington commit to cooperation within the framework of high-level dialogue on interaction with Russia, while "Germany will take action at the national level and press for effective measures at the European level, including sanctions, to limit Russian export capabilities to Europe in the energy sector, including gas, and/or in other economically relevant sectors. This commitment is designed to ensure that Russia will not misuse any pipeline, including Nord Stream 2, to achieve aggressive political ends by using energy as a weapon."

On July 12, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky at a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed concern that his country may be "cut off from gas transit or from gas in general’ if Nord Stream 2 is launched. His interlocutor assured him that Ukraine would remain a transit state for Germany even if Nord Stream 2 is completed.

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