Ukraine promises to put the squeeze on Russia on the issue of gas transit
Russia will be forced to conclude a new contract for gas transit through Ukraine, taking into account the requirements of Kyiv.
Deputy Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine for European Integration Natalia Boyko stated this in an interview with the UMN channel, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
In her opinion, one of the factors that will force Russia to make concessions will be the need to continue transit through the Ukrainian gas transportation system due to the unavailability of Nord Stream 2.
“Before January 1, 2020, the Russians still do not have time to build their famous and very expensive Nord Stream 2. They will still have to transport their gas to Europe. Europeans understand this, Russians understand this, we understand this. Therefore, the longer the Russians delay, the more difficult the final negotiations will be, the less time there will be to achieve any common denominators, and so on,” the official said.
She added that, given these circumstances, Ukraine is not going to compromise on the decision of the Stockholm arbitration, since Russia’s position is “getting worse and worse.”
“During these negotiations, Miller spoke many times about the appeal that they filed, but we understand that the appeal is actually partial; it still will not change the main points of the decision. Then they voiced theses that if the appeal does not help restore the balance, then we will go to peace. No one will go to a settlement according to the decision of the Stockholm Arbitration, which, in fact, brought balance and restored the balance of interests between Ukraine and Gazprom, which was violated in the contract, because this is simply a deviation from national interests,” Boyko said .
Ukraine promises to pressure Russia on gas transit