Russian gas to to use sea route instead of the Ukraine

Signed a shareholder agreement on the Via Baltica gas pipeline Nord Stream-2, Gazprom has de facto formed a unit of the largest European energy companies that are interested in the supply of Russian gas bypassing the Ukraine. The project implementation will make Germany a major distribution center for Russian gas in Europe and, in fact, will allow Russia to eliminate the supplies through the Ukraine and will deprive Kiev of transit fees. This approach is in sharp contrast to the public policy of Berlin, which still supports Kiev. But experts of the Kommersant recall that Germany as a key country in the European Union can afford such deviation from its political line in favor of its economic interests.

As the Kommersant predicted on August 31, at the East Economic Forum Gazprom signed binding shareholder agreement on the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline with European energy companies. The monopoly will own a controlling package, German companies E.On and Wintershall, Austrian OMV and Anglo-Dutch Shell will receive 10% each, and French Engie - 9%. The signing wasn’t announced until the last moment, last week even the president's press secretary Dmitry Peskov denied the signing of the agreement at the forum in Vladivostok.