BERLIN: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday he hoped German Chancellor Angela Merkel would bring Kiev news of Russian "guarantees" of gas transit fees for his country.

Merkel will travel to Kiev on Sunday, two days after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Among the issues discussed by the two leaders on Friday were questions surrounding Nord Stream 2, the 10-billion-euro ($12 billion) pipeline channelling Russian gas to Europe. Critics, including some EU nations and the United States, are opposed to Nord Stream 2 because it bypasses Ukraine's pipeline infrastructure, depriving the country of around a billion euros annually in transit fees.

To ward off opposition from the United States, Germany agreed to press Russia to extend a gas transit agreement through Ukraine due to expire at the end of 2024 by 10 years.