ST. PETERSBURG, September 29. /TASS/. Germany is interested in implementation of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project, according to ex-chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schroeder who was elected to Rosneft’s board of directors and appointed as its head on Friday.

"I think that the federal government [of Germany - TASS] still supports the Nord Stream 2 project due to its own well-calculated interests. I think that the new government will demonstrate that Germany is interested in implementation of the Nord Stream 2," he said.

Schroeder also said that he advocates a relief in anti-Russia sanctions imposed by the European Union due to improved situation in Donbass. "The sanctions in the oil and sector are exacerbated not by the European Union, but by the United States of America. Regarding the sanctions imposed by the European Union, we should speak about their relief instead of exacerbation, if there is any progress in Donbass, and it has indeed been reached," he said.

Earlier on Friday Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin said that Germany’s former chancellor is seeking to improve economic and political ties between Russia and Germany.