Ukraine is not against extending the contract with Russia for gas transit for another 10 years, but this is “not the best guarantee”, said in the program “Right to Power” the head of “Naftogaz” Yuri Vitrenko.
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – September 03, 2021 – Ukraine News
“The best guarantee contracts with European companies,” he said. “And if there are no such contracts and if Gazprom continues to block third party access to transit through Ukraine, then there should be sanctions,” Vitrenko said. In this case, the head of Naftogaz added, this will be proof of the use of gas by Russia as a geopolitical weapon.
Consultations on concluding contracts with European partners are to take place soon, Vitrenko said. “These should be negotiations to be organized by the Germans, and in these negotiations, we will talk with specific European companies about specific contracts for gas transit through Ukraine – this is what we need,” said the head of Naftogaz.
On August 22, it became known that Ukraine was initiating consultations with the EC and Germany for guarantees of energy security.
In late August, Vitrenko said that the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline threatened to cut off gas transit through Ukraine and increased the risks of a full-scale military invasion by Russia. According to him, Kyiv considers maintaining the transit of Russian gas to Europe as a safeguard against such developments.
The head of Naftogaz together with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky is currently on a visit to the United States. The day before, in an interview with Reuters, Vitnenko said that Kyiv considers it necessary and still possible to prevent the completion of the construction of Nord Stream-2, even if the pipeline is 99% ready. He called on the US president to impose sanctions on the pipeline.
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Source: Ukrgate