OREANDA-NEWS. The deal between Washington and Berlin on Nord Stream 2 is a compromise while maintaining pressure on the Russian Federation through Ukraine, Sergei Zheleznyak, a member of the State Duma's international committee, told RIA Novosti.

"The agreement between Washington and Berlin on Nord Stream 2 is a political compromise between the outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joe Biden, in which Ukraine is an instrument for maintaining leverage on Russia," he said.

According to the politician, on the one hand, the United States is extremely unhappy, but sees the inevitability of the completion of the project, on the other hand, it wants to retain a way to control the situation in Europe, especially when it comes to relations with Russia.

Zheleznyak explained that Germany needs to complete the gas project and get high-quality Russian gas, this is a matter of principle and an important point that Merkel wants to put before the end of her Chancellor's career.

"At the same time, the deal between the United States and Germany has nothing to do with either European energy security or the interests of Ukrainian citizens, despite the special clause on maintaining gas transit through Ukraine," the politician added.

In general, the agreement does not strike a blow on the Russian-European gas project, but a number of conditions can be used as a lever of pressure on our country, how Germany intends to ensure the extension of gas transit through Ukraine until 2034 remains unclear, the politician summed up.