REUTERS
Head of Naftogaz Ukrainy Andriy Kobolev has described plans of Russia to expand the Nord Stream gas pipeline not only as a blow to the interests of Ukraine and Slovakia, but also as an increase in EU’s dependence on Russia, according to RFE/RL.
"Excess gas pipelines - it is choice, and it's always good to have a choice. But not for European consumers, rather for Russia: if these pipelines are built, it is Russia which will decide on where, whom, and on what terms to supply gas," Kobolev said during a working visit to Slovakia.
"Europe must firmly defend its interests and prevent the construction of new Gazprom-controlled routes. The traditional route through Ukraine and Slovakia is a direct, powerful path of Russian gas supplies to Europe, beyond Gazprom control," the report says.
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Thursday called a deal between Russia's Gazprom and its European partners to expand the Nordstream gas pipeline a "betrayal" that would cost Ukraine and Slovakia combined billions of euros in transit fees.
Gazprom signed an agreement of shareholders of the joint project company on Friday, September 4, on construction of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline. Yelena Burmistrova, head of Gazprom export, confirmed the news.