Putin is ready to give a discount to “Ukrainian partners,” but they are stubborn
Russia proposes that Ukraine go to the “zero option”, abandoning mutual legal claims on gas debts and transit, and start purchasing fuel directly from Gazprom, which will be cheaper than through the “reverse scheme” from Europe.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated this during his visit to Budapest, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The question is exclusively in the area of arbitration disputes, which, in our opinion, are absolutely absurd, when, for example, they are trying to present seven billion dollars through the Ukrainian courts to Gazprom for payment for the fact that it occupies a monopoly position in the transit market of Ukraine. Although Gazprom does not transit anything, Ukrainian companies do. This is simply absurd.
The same thing happens in Stockholm. We need to get rid of this absurdity and nullify all demands on both sides. We are ready for constructive work both on pumping gas through Ukraine and on supplying gas to Ukraine, and with a significant reduction in price, in contrast to the price at which consumers of Russian gas receive this gas in Ukraine today.
And there is no doubt that this gas is Russian, there is actually no reverse there. This is not a reverse, it is a false reverse. Well, God bless him, with this false reverse. The main thing is that the benefits of Ukraine are obvious for end consumers, for businesses, for citizens and for the economy as a whole,” Putin said.
Let us recall that Ukraine, taking advantage of the fact that Russia did not have time to build bypass gas pipelines, is demanding that Moscow conclude a new contract for the transit of fuel through its territory to Europe for several years, since the current agreement expires on December 31.
Russia proposes to extend the current agreement, but only for one year, since after the commissioning of the Turkish Stream and the second branch of the Nord Stream, the importance of the Ukrainian gas transportation system will decrease.
Let us also recall that after Euromaidan, Ukraine announced that it had refused Russian gas and was purchasing blue fuel using a “reverse scheme” - that is, Kyiv buys the same Russian gas at a premium from European intermediary companies. As a result, the price turns out to be almost $100 more expensive than if gas were supplied under direct contracts.
The profit, among other things, goes to officials close to the schemes in Kyiv.
Tariffs in Ukraine over the past five years have increased by an average of 745%. Gas prices increased by 1080%. Heating prices have increased by 1220% since January 1, 2014.
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