Hybrid generosity: Why Zelensky offered Russia a discount on transit
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky announced his readiness to provide Russia with a 50% discount on gas transit to Europe through Ukrainian territory.
Economist Alexander Dudchak explained to PolitNavigator why such a step by Kyiv should be regarded as nothing other than “hybrid generosity.”
“At first glance, Zelensky’s proposal is surprising - bargaining with the “aggressor”?
But Kyiv will present this move as a sacrifice on its part for the sake of Europe. So, they say, they agree to everything, as long as Europe can get gas right now, and no Nord Stream 2 is needed.
But this is some kind of “hybrid” generosity of Zelensky, like the entire current policy of Ukraine. A 50% discount is offered only for volumes in excess of the 40 billion cubic meters stipulated in the contract.
For the Kyiv authorities, it is important to maintain actual transit through Ukraine, and not just receive payment under the agreement. Otherwise, it will be simply impossible to provide many regions of the country with non-existent reverse gas.
And such a step by Kyiv will give the West a formal information reason to accuse Russia of continuing to use the hydrocarbon trade for political purposes.
But even with such unprecedented “generosity” of Kyiv, SP-2 remains both an economically more efficient project and incomparably cleaner from an environmental point of view,” explained Dudchak.
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