Mikhail Pontoliak blamed Merkel for Nord Stream 2, saying that if he had always known that Russia was preparing for war, he should not have built it
Kyiv was not convinced by the explanations given by the former German Chancellor, Angela Merkelwho yesterday defended the policy of rapprochement with Russia.
Merkel, who has retired from politics after 16 years as chancellor of Europe’s largest economy, said: “will not apologizeBecause it promoted diplomacy and trade in its attempt to prevent a war in Ukraine.
THE Michael Pontoliakthe adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, however, accused her today of supporting the construction of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would transport Russian gas to Europe via Germany.
“If Chancellor Merkel always knew that Russia was preparing for war and that Putin’s goal was to destroy the European Union, then why was he building Nord Stream 2,” he wrote on Twitter.
Pontoliak also accused Merkel of facilitating Europe’s dependence on Russian gas and oil.
In an interview on Tuesday, Angela Merkel said she had been aware for many years of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threat to European security but that it was in Germany’s interest to find a modus vivendi with Russia.
