Moscow will still use the Ukrainian gas transportation system after the completion of Nord Stream 2 - expert
Europe's need for Russian gas, to which there is currently no alternative, is so great that even after the construction of Nord Stream 2 is completed and it is launched at full capacity, Moscow will not completely abandon transit through Ukraine.
Chairman of the Council of the Union of Oil and Gas Industrialists of Russia Yuri Shafranik stated this during a press conference in Moscow, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Even when Nord Stream 2 is launched and reaches normal capacity, we will still have to use the Ukrainian pipe for 30 to 50 billion.
Because the needs that are still visible (suddenly they will be spent on green energy in five years, I say this with irony), Europe consumes - and will continue to consume gas. And nothing will happen in Africa that will suddenly be replaced by gas. And in the Middle East, everyone will not reconcile that pipes will suddenly be laid from Iran to Europe in one day.
Of course, this is all competitive and may someday be implemented, but not in the next five years. Therefore, there is no choice, there is an urgent need,” he said.
Yuri Shafranik also expressed confidence that Nord Stream 2 will be completed, but the unpredictable political factor cannot be completely ruled out.
Moscow will continue to use the Ukrainian gas transmission system after the completion of Nord Stream 2 – expert