REUTERS
The EU’s number one priority is to secure a long-term gas transit contract via Ukraine for at least the next 10 years, according to Sefcovic.
The European Commission intends to resume trilateral negotiations with Russia and Ukraine on the long-term gas transit contract immediately after the completion of the presidential elections in Ukraine, Vice-President of the European Commission, Maros Sefcovic, told a press conference in Brussels today, April 9.
“When we met last time in January, we agreed that we should try to see each other again sometime in mid-May. So far, and I understand, especially because of the election campaign in Ukraine, we didn't get the response [regarding the meeting]. But I can assure you that we will do our utmost to have a trilateral meeting before summer […] because after that the time is very short,” Sefcovic said.
Read alsoNaftogaz concludes EUR 14 mln contract with Norwegian lawyers for litigation with Gazprom
According to the official, each party to the negotiations should remember that winter is already “around the corner” and the gas supply situation needs to be sorted out not only for the next winter, but also keeping in mind the long-term perspective.
“As you know, the number one priority for the European Union is to secure a long-term transit contract through Ukraine for at least next 10 years," he said, adding that this is how it was discussed at the latest trilateral meeting, and "we will try to reconvene that meeting as soon as possible, after Ukrainian presidential elections.”
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian state energy company Naftogaz in January said Russia had been delaying gas transit negotiations in order to get its Nord Stream 2 pipeline built first.
Russia’s planned doubling of capacity on the Nord Stream pipeline across the Baltic Sea to Germany could help Moscow bypass exports via Ukraine, according to Reuters.
That would deny Kyiv of transit fees that account or up to 3% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Read alsoHungary preparing to transport gas from Azerbaijan bypassing Ukraine
To ease market concerns, Naftogaz CCO Yuriy Vitrenko said the two sides should aim to reach an agreement by the beginning of the summer.
Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev said that the Ukrainian side was ready to consider any future contracts if they fully complied with European energy legislation implemented in Ukraine. According to him, only a contract based on European principles would fully secure Ukraine's interests and prevent Russia from non-market and non-competitive actions it had repeatedly demonstrated in the past.