Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a press conference during his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Sochi on May 18, 2018 | Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images Putin says Ukraine gas transit after Nord Stream 2 needs to make economic sense

Russia is ready to continue shipping some gas to Europe via Ukraine after the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is built, but only if it makes economic sense, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

"Once we launch Nord Stream 2, we will continue to pump gas through Ukraine if it is economically feasible and viable for the companies that operate this project," he said, speaking alongside German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Sochi.

Nord Stream 2 is meant to carry 55 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea when it is completed in 2019, doubling the capacity of the existing Nord Stream pipeline.

Poland and the Baltics are vehemently opposed, fearing it would leave them vulnerable to Russia’s geopolitical pressure by circumventing Ukraine. Kiev is also worried it would lose billions of euros in transit fees.

Germany has recently begun linking Nord Stream 2 with continued Ukrainian gas transit.

"After Nord Stream 2 is finished, the role of Ukraine as a transit state will have to remain because it is a strategic point for us and Germany is prepared to participate in that process," Merkel said.

Putin also addressed U.S. opposition to the pipeline project, saying it is a way for President Donald Trump "to promote the interests of U.S. producers, trying to push for the sale of U.S. shale gas."

However he said that American liquefied natural gas is 30 percent more expensive than Russian pipeline gas.