Nord Stream

Angela Merkel said that today after the meeting with the Ukrainian president.
"We will do everything to help friendly Ukraine on the path it has taken when it comes to relations with the European Union," said Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The European Union must expect a further deterioration in relations with Russia even though ties have already sunk to their "lowest level", EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday.

The global economy may see the highest growth rates in decades following a decline caused by the coronavirus pandemic, while Russia's economy is already approaching pre-crisis levels, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, addressing the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday.

A senior American official has described ties with Turkey as very critical and significant despite ongoing differences in various issues, including the U.S. support to the YPG and Turkey's deployment of the Russian air defense systems, while recalling that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S.

The Biden administration will waive sanctions on the company behind Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Europe and its chief executive, with the United States Department of State set to deliver a report as early as Wednesday, a source familiar with the plans told Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

The Biden administration waived sanctions on the company behind Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany and its chief executive, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on May 19, a move decried by critics of the project in Congress.

Russia warned on April 1 that a serious escalation in the conflict in Donbass could "destroy" Ukraine as NATO voiced concern over what it said was a big Russian military build-up near eastern Ukraine.

At the moment of strained relations with Russia, some EU members, with their defending the Russian Nord Stream gas pipeline, further deepen the divisions in Europe and in the transatlantic partnership, writes the EUobserver portal, as EURACTIV reports.

The US State Department expressed its strong opposition to the Turkish-Russian TurkStream gas pipeline saying that together with the Nord Stream 2 they undermine the European energy security and serve only the Russian interests.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed possibilites for closer cooperation in the coronavirus pandemic situation. The two leaders are said to have discussed possible ways of jointly producing vaccines during a phone call.

The health ministries of thw two countries will continue the talks on the matter together with exeprts.