SOCHI, Russia, May 18, 2018 (News Wires) - Russian President Vladimir Putin says that gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine may continue even after the launch of a new prospective Germany-bound pipeline under the Baltic Sea. Speaking after talks in Sochi on Friday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Putin said Russia has no intention to halt supplies of gas to the EU nations across Ukraine's territory after the launch of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. He said supplies via Ukraine will continue if they are economically expedient. Merkel emphasized the need to provide Ukraine with guarantees that supplies via its territory will continue. Germany wants Russia's gas and has calculated that the new pipeline will provide better value for money compared with other options, but the new route bypasses Ukraine, which relies heavily on transit fees for Russian gas.