Latest news with #StefanCornelius
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU to sanction Nord Stream 2 pipeline as Russia rejects Ukraine ceasefire, Bloomberg reports
The EU is close to restricting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in a new round of sanctions as Russia refuses a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on May 23. "It is a political move, aimed at cementing the EU's plan to phase out Russian gas imports by 2027," Florence Schmit, an energy strategist in London, told Bloomberg. The decision to sanction the non-operational Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will take into account progress in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. Russia has refused a ceasefire with Ukraine, and peace talks between the two nations in Istanbul on May 16 were largely inconclusive. Moscow has repeatedly signalled their unwillingness to move forward in peace negotiations. Germany supports the newly proposed EU sanctions, which would target the Nord Stream pipelines, spokesperson Stefan Cornelius said on May 19. "Political clarity should also start to quell some volatility in gas markets that was related to the on-and-off discussions about Russian gas supplies," Schmit told Bloomberg. The European Commission will begin discussions with member states as early as May 23, unnamed sources familiar with the matter said. German "Chancellor (Friedrich) Merz is working with U.S. and European partners on new sanctions against Russia... the intention of these sanctions is to achieve agreement from Russia to an unconditional truce," Cornelius told German outlet, Tagesshau. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed on March 26 that talks were ongoing between the U.S. and the EU to resume flows of gas in the Nord Stream pipelines. Lavrov on May 21 confirmed that Moscow has no interest in negotiations and agreeing to a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying, "We don't want this anymore." At the Istanbul peace talks, Moscow reiterated maximalist demands, including that Ukraine accept the loss of Crimea and four eastern regions. Russian President Vladimir Putin did not attend the peace talks in Turkey, despite an invitation from President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet him face-to-face. Read also: Ukraine must look beyond the EU for its agricultural future We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Russia Today
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Berlin refuses to discuss missile deliveries to Kiev
Germany wants to maintain a 'low profile' on future arms deliveries to Ukraine and has refused to publicly discuss the potential delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Kiev, according to a German government spokesperson on Monday. Extensive public debate of arms deliveries helps Russia, according to Stefan Cornelius, spokesman for new Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Previous deliveries to Kiev under Olaf Scholz were widely debated in public. 'We will also no longer comment on any plans regarding the supply of Taurus cruise missiles,' Cornelius said, 'Information about what weapons and ammunition we are supplying should remain open. The situation is different when it comes to such details as the number of specific missiles. This information is not so important for the public, but the Russian aggressor can draw conclusions from it.' The official silence could precipitate the long-debated delivery of the Swedish-German Taurus missiles to Ukraine, which Scholz opposed, citing escalation of the conflict, but which Merz is open to supplying. Taurus missiles have a 500km operational range, meaning they could be used to attack targets deep inside Russian territory. Moscow has repeatedly warned Berlin that deliveries to Ukraine would make Germany a direct participant in the conflict. 'Since live-firing these cruise missiles is impossible without the direct assistance of Bundeswehr servicemen, a strike on any Russian facilities, critical transport infrastructure... all this will be regarded as direct German participation in military operations,' Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last month.
