How does Nord Stream II project fit with Ukraine-EU relationship?

Question

A local TV short documentary argued that the Nord Stream II project should be finalized by 2019. I cannot find information to support this, but Wikipedia mentions that its construction has begun in 2018 and it is slowly progressing:

On 31 January 2018, Germany granted Nord Stream 2 a permit for construction and operation in German waters and landfall areas near Lubmin. In May 2018 construction started at the Greifswald end point. By September 2018, 18 miles of the underwater pipeline construction were completed.

Forbes argues that this project is very problematic to Ukraine since it would diminish its importance in gas transportation from Russia to European Union countries:

Ukraine is Russia’s gateway into European gas markets. Of the 193 billion cubic meters (bcm) Russia’s state-owned Gazprom pumped westward in 2017 – nearly 40 percent of Europe’s total supply – 93 bcm transited via Ukraine. Moscow, however, wants to change that, diminishing Ukraine’s transit role. Kyiv, on the other hand, hopes to maintain the current arrangement, as transit revenues contribute some USD 2-3 billion annually to the Ukrainian economy (roughly 3 percent of GDP) and act as a buffer against further Russian aggression.

On the other hand, Ukraine-EU relations seem to quite tight:

Relations between the European Union (EU) and Ukraine are shaped through the Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). Ukraine is a priority partner within the Eastern Partnership and the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). The EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, going beyond co-operation, to gradual economic integration and deepening of political co-operation

I am wondering how does EU ensures political consistency between Nord Stream II and its relationship with Ukraine since they seem to be contradictory.

Question: How does Nord Stream II project fit with Ukraine-EU relationship?

Answer 1

Nord Stream 2 takes away the leverage Ukraine holds over the EU. Since a lot of Europe's natural gas transits the Ukraine on its way from Russia to the west, the Ukraine can basically block large parts of Europe's gas supply.

Thus, Nord Stream 2 is an effort to diversify the transit routes for Russian natural gas.

Answer 2

In no way.

Let's see the benefits of Nord Stream 2:

• for Germany: becoming Europe's natural gas hub.
• for EU gas consumers: lower prices, because no transit countries, only Germany as a hub.

Let's see structure and amounts of EU imports from "priority partner within the Eastern Partnership":

• http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/ukraine/ - general information, note the total size of 0.9% EU trade.
• ukraine exports mainly consists of raw materials and agricultural products - from open sources, searching for a links.

Thus, I don't see any possible penalties for EU-Ukraine relations. Really, at all. I don't ever see strong relations, other than "Minsk treaties". Ukraine is a consumer of EU investments, World Bank credits and EU support programs. But it is a bit one-side relations. Pluses of Nord Stream 2 specified to add an argument for EU to still use it, besides of Ukraine losses on it.

The only possible result - Ukraine may fall unstable after its GDP falls further, but it is not a problem of relations, it is a problem of Poland and Hungary borders security from refugees and problem of EU investments into Ukraine.