KIEV, May 12. /TASS/. The implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project, aimed at increasing Russian gas supplies to the Western Europe, will turn Germany into a European gas hub, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yelena Zerkal said.

"Unfortunately, after a coalition was established, we can only say that Ms Merkel’s position on the Nord Stream 2 project is not that categorical," she told Ukraine’s Channel 5. "She can see the positive aspects of the Nord Stream gas pipeline as Germany will have the largest gas market. And Germany will be in complete control of Europe, including Hungary and other small countries," Zerkal added.

According to the Ukrainian deputy foreign minister, the Nord Stream 2 project will allow Germany "to usurp privileges" in Europe’s energy sector.

Nord Stream 2 project

The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is scheduled to be put into operation in late 2019. Each of the pipeline’s two stretches will have a capacity of 27.5 bln cubic meters. The pipeline, set to run from the Russian coast along the Baltic Sea bed to the German shore, is expected to connect the Russian resource base with European customers. The total project cost of the Nord Stream 2 is estimated at Ђ9.9 bln.

The gas pipeline will not cross transit countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and Poland, running through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

Kiev has been seeking to employ various tools in order to maintain gas transit at an acceptable level. Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller said earlier that the Russian company was ready to hold talks with Ukraine’s Naftogaz on gas transit following the expiration of the current contract. Miller said that Gazprom could maintain gas transit through Ukraine’s territory at 10-15 bcm a year, provided that Kiev proved the economic feasibility of a new contract.