Germany wants the Nord Stream-2 project to be implemented, but it also sees the need to ensure the reliability of gas transit through Ukraine and gas supplies to Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said.

"The Russian side has known my attitude to this issue for many years already: we need Nord Stream-2, but we also need the reliability of Ukrainian pipelines and the reliability of energy supplies to countries such as Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland. And I sense that our Russian partners are quite ready for that," Gabriel said in an interview with Interfax.

When commenting on a February 21 meeting between the Nord Stream-2 project's management and European Commission representative, he said: "Nord Stream-2 is not a project of the European Commission. Rather, it is an investment decision of European privately-owned companies. It is important to us that this project should be implemented and should function in compliance with the EU's existing legislation. We will keep an eye on that in the future as well. The exchange of opinions between the European Commission and the companies involved is seen as the right step for that."

"We in Europe are interested in the reliable and long-term supply of energy resources. Nord Stream-2, as an additional route, may contribute to steps aimed at achieving this goal," he said.