Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios in an exclusive interview that he's no longer angry about President Biden's decision to waive sanctions on the Russian company overseeing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will transport natural gas from Russia to Germany, he's just disappointed. And he seemingly wants Washington to communicate a little more directly with Kyiv about its Russia strategy.
Nord Stream 2 is a big deal for Ukraine, whose eastern regions are typically under threat from Russia. Currently, Ukraine is a major natural gas supplier to Western Europe itself, which Zelensky said is a "powerful political tool" that forces Russia to talk to Ukraine and Europe "at the same table." But if Nord Stream 2 is completed, which looks more and more likely, Zelensky warns that "Ukraine will no longer have this leverage," leaving it vulnerable.
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