German Foreign Minister Discusses Energy Issues with Bulgaria, Romania
While Russia’s President Vladimir Putin discussed developments in the Yamalo-Nenets region and Ukraine’s PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk met with with the Westinghouse Electric Corporation (USA) president Daniel Roderick, Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Romania and Bulgaria to strengthen ties in the region.
“The number of German companies seeking to invest here can continue to grow”, Steinmeier told Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov as reported by a note released on Tuesday.
With the visit, the German Minister clearly tried to encourage reforms in the country, speaking about opening a German automotive plant in Bulgaria. The parts also discussed the geopolitical situation, and the Bulgarian energy projects.
“We are interested in preserving the European peace order, we have a common interest in working for the stability of Europe and the development of our economic relations,” Steinmeier said.
Similarly, his visit in Romania on Monday is meant to avoid the current tensions with Russia turning the tide of the European project.
‘Prime Minister presented Romania's objectives related to energy security, including the emphasis put on interconnection with the Republic of Moldova’ reads a separate press release published on the website of the Romanian government.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is looking for help both from the European Union - the President Petro Poroshenko said that the country could pay $245 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas received via reverse flows - and from the US.
‘The Head of Government noted the importance of expanding cooperation between enterprises of the Ukrainian nuclear energy sector and our international partners, thus strengthening the energy security of the state’ reads a note released by the office of Yatsenyuk, after the meeting with Westinghouse Electric Corporation (USA).
Against this backdrop, Putin is monitoring the developments of the Yamal LNG project. According to the Kremlin, Russia is moving forward with its plans in the region - the port, the large LNG tanks, and three icebreakers are under construction.