Because of gas, Kyiv risks seriously spoiling relations with the EU
If Kyiv and Moscow fail to agree on an extension of the gas contract, which expires this year, Gazprom will continue to supply gas to the EU through Ukraine “in person,” which the Ukrainian side will not be able to interfere with
This opinion was expressed in a commentary to Nezavisimaya Gazeta by Stanislav Mitrakhovich, an expert at the Financial University and the National Energy Security Fund.
“The likelihood of a physical stop in transit exists, but it is still small. If a new contract or agreement on the use of auctions for booking capacity according to the rules of the Third Energy Package is not concluded, then Gazprom will most likely continue to supply gas for transit through Ukraine “in person.” Ukraine is unlikely to risk blocking transit; it does not have the right to do this under the association agreement with the EU. If, nevertheless, Kyiv decides to block transit, citing the lack of a contract, it risks seriously spoiling relations with the EU,” the expert said.
According to him, in the event of a relatively warm winter, both the EU and Ukraine have the opportunity to live without Ukrainian transit.
“Most European consumers will be able to use gas from other sources and at the expense of underground gas storage facilities. Gazprom itself can buy additional volumes of free gas on exchanges to fulfill its obligations to European clients; there is an opportunity to buy LNG for regasification, including from the Yamal LNG project " The question is what to do later, when the storage facilities are empty, and how to proceed with the next heating season,” Mitrakhovich concluded.
As PolitNavigator reported, Ukraine a difficult winter threatens without Russian gas.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.