REUTERS
The preservation of Russian gas transit via Ukraine to the EU countries after expiration of the current contract with Russia's Gazprom in 2019, will deter Russia from further possible attempts to invade Ukraine, CEO of national joint-stock company (NJSC) Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolev said at the 14th Yalta European Strategy Annual Meeting (YES) in Kyiv on September 15.
"If Nord Stream is constructed now, we will be in great danger, not only in terms of economic prospects, but also with regard to general security ... Putin needs to decide whether to consider an option of a full-blown invasion of Ukraine, and what will happen with gas exports to the EU ... And if the answer is "No" - and now this answer is "No" - maybe this [significant transit of gas via the territory of Ukraine] is one of those things that keep him from invading Ukraine," Kobolev said, adding that maintaining gas transits to the EU remains a strategic task for Ukraine.
He also noted that the implementation of the unbundling procedure, that is, the transfer of Naftogaz's gas transmission function to a separate company, and the involvement of a European partner in the management of the Ukrainian gas transportation system, is the responsibility of the Ukrainian parliament and government.
As UNIAN reported earlier, the current contract for gas transit between Naftogaz and Gazprom was signed in 2009 for a period of ten years (until the end of 2019).
Read alsoNaftogaz CEO: Siemens stops gas compressor shipments because of Russia
Read alsoEuropean Commission declares gas transit via Ukraine priority starting 2020
Record high volumes of Russian gas transit have been reported this year. According to the state-owned operator of Ukraine's gas transmission system Ukrtransgaz, gas transit via the country's territory increased by 23%, to 51.2 billion cubic meters within eight months of 2017.