On Thursday, July 15, U.S. President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a meeting in Washington. The two leaders discussed their views on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the future of bilateral relations between Germany and the United States. The Ukrainian issue was also touched upon.
Apostrophe highlighted the key points and most important statements made by Biden and Merkel.
NATO flank protection
During the joint press conference, President Biden said that the U.S. and Germany are united in protecting their allies representing the eastern flank of NATO against aggression by Russia.
“We stand together and will continue to stand together to defend our Eastern Flank allies at NATO against Russian aggression,” President Biden stated.
North Stream 2
Merkel said that the positions of Germany and the United States on the Nord Stream 2 project differ.
"We talked about Russia and Ukraine and, in this context, also about Nord Stream 2. We’ve come to different assessments as to what this project entails," Merkel said.
However, according to Biden, both the U.S. President and the German Chancellor agreed that gas and energy cannot become Russian leverage against Europe.
“And while I reiterated my concerns about Nord Stream 2, Chancellor Merkel and I are absolutely united in our conviction that Russia must not be allowed to use energy as a weapon to coerce or threaten its neighbors,” Biden said.
Gas treaty of Ukraine with Russia
According to the Bundeschalllor, Germany and the European Commission have made significant efforts to conclude a treaty on gas transit until 2024 between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
"We’ve worked a lot — not only Germany incidentally, but the whole of the European Commission — for talking to Russia and Ukraine, negotiating a treaty that ensures until 2023 the gas contract and, after that, gas deliveries must be possible as well. That is what I’ve heard at least. Let me be very careful here in my wording," Merkel said.
Ukraine - Russian gas transit
Merkel expressed confidence that Ukraine should remain a transit country through which the Russian gas will be supplied. With this, Nord Stream 2 will be an additional project that will not replace gas transit through Ukraine.
“But let me say very clearly: Our idea is and remains that Ukraine remains a transit country for natural gas; that Ukraine, just as any other country in the world, has a right to territorial sovereignty, which is why we’ve become engaged and continue to be engaged in the Minsk Process.We will be actively acting should Russia not respect this right of Ukraine that it has as a transit country. So Nord Stream 2 is an additional project and certainly not a project to replace any kind of transit through Ukraine. Anything else would obviously create a lot of tension. And we’re also talking about how we can actually make this very clear together," Merkel said.
How to punish Russia for violations
In case of violations of gas transit obligations through Ukraine, "many tools" may be used against the Russian Federation, the Chancellor of Germany said.
"And then should that not go ahead, we have a number of instruments at our disposal, which are not necessarily on the German side, but on the European side. For example, sanctions and as regards Crimea and breach of the Minsk treaty has shown that we have these sanctions — these instruments at our disposal.We have possibilities to react. We are in contact with our European friends on this. But at the — at the point in time of which I hope we will never have to take those decisions, you will then see what we do,"Merkel said.
Energy independence of Ukraine
Washington and Berlin intend to support the "energy transformation" of Central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.
“Germany and the United States have now forged an Energy and Climate Partnership. I think it’s a very important message that we’re sending here,” Merkel stated.
“We’re launching a climate and energy partnership to support energy security and the development of sustainable energy, sustainable energy technologies, and emerging — and emerging economies, including in Central Europe and Ukraine,” Biden added.
Washington Declaration
The U.S. and Germany signed the "Washington Declaration" on General Principles, in which Washington and Berlin commit themselves to protecting the "open world".
“And today, I’ve — I’ve confided that in our new Washington Declaration, which we’ve codified — a document affirming our commitment to the democratic principles that are the heart — that are at the heart of both of our nations, and how we will apply them to meet the biggest challenges of today and tomorrow,” Biden said, adding, “And we are united — united in our commitment to addressing democratic backsliding, corruption, phony populism in the European Union or among candidates for the EU membership or anywhere we find it in the world."
“So I’m very grateful that we have this opportunity to work on foundations. And we lay down those foundations in the Washington Declaration, and also how we see the road ahead, and also measures. And I think that this Futures Forum will deal with those issues. Our societies will discuss together what sort of solutions they think appropriate, and I think such structures are very important,” Merkel said.
Challenges for Europe and the U.S.
The Delta COVID-19 variant poses another challenge, Merkel said.
“The Delta variant actually being on the increase, that is, again, a new challenge to both of us. And obviously, before such a decision, one has to reflect, and it has to be a sustainable decision. It is certainly not sensible to have to take it back after only a few days. So I’m — have every confidence in the American COVID team,” Chancellor Merkel stated.