Zelensky pushes to add gas talks to Normandy Format

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed for assurances
regarding Ukraine’s security in a meeting with German
Chancellor Angela Merkel on July 12. In a press conference after dinner with
Merkel, Zelensky stated that he sees the need to include Nord Stream II into
the Normandy Four discussions, as “It is an integral issue of security in
Ukraine. And I told this frankly to Mrs. Merkel,” the president’s website
president.gov.ua quoted him as saying.

Merkel gave her assurances that Germany would
guarantee the continued use of the Ukrainian gas transit system after the Nord
Stream II pipeline is put into use, dw.com reports. The Normandy format talks
are not in place for discussions not connected to Crimea and Donbas, and she
was not in favor of expanding the scope of the talks, but if there were another
Normandy format meeting, perhaps energy security could be discussed.

James Hydzik: The idea of
Germany guaranteeing the use of Ukrainian GTS for delivering Russian gas reads
well on a screen, but is unlikely to guarantee uninterrupted flows. Since the
Russians have disrupted gas supplies and are currently limiting supplies, it is
clear that the EU and its constituent countries are not able to prevent
stoppages or slow-downs. However, a guarantee in place could help resolve
situations sooner.

The fact that Zelensky took the route that he did,
instead of emphasizing cooperation and common positions before their meetings
in Washington with U.S. President Joe Biden, shows that the attempts at
coordination seen recently, as we reported yesterday, are not universal.